The Dream
by Falcon4Crane
Summary: Kaylie, Tommy's niece has only one dream and that is to be one of the top gymnasts. There is only one woman who can make that happen. What happens when Tommy and Kim meet again after all these years? Will they work together to get Kaylie to her dream?
1. The Gym

A/N: This is my new story! I don't anything but the ones that you don't know. The names Emily and Kaylie are inspired by ABC Family's Make It or Break It. Although the characters are different, I just liked the names. This story roughly takes place a year after Dino Thunder.

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"Okay now point your toes." Kim said as Alex brought her legs up and over her body to complete a handstand on the beam. Kim stood back and watched as the girl turned on her hands before flipping back to land on her feet. She then started her dismount which consisted of a cartwheel before a double flip off the end of the beam. Alex landed with a little wobble and a step back but other than that it was a good routine. She threw her arms up and smiled briefly. "Good job, we just need to work on that landing and remember to smile through your routine and really smile bright after you land even if it is a bad landing." Kim said with a smile as all the girls nodded. Kim turned as the next girl flipped up on the beam to run through her routine. Regionals were in a month and the girls needed all the practice that they could get. She motioned to one of the spotters to take her place as she walked over to the uneven bars. Emily was turning on the higher of the bars. Kim watched as she flipped back to the shorter bar and turned a few times on it before coming back to the taller one. The girl then let go and flipped back before landing on her feet. She had a little bit of a wobble but other than that it was a great landing.

"What do you think Coach?" Emily asked when she noticed that Kim was standing there.

"Good we just have to try a harder routine when you make it through to Nationals." Kim said as the girl nodded. She had every confidence that all of her girls could make it to Nationals. She had to believe in them because if she didn't then they wouldn't believe in themselves. They trained hard and their routines showed that. Kim had built this gym from the ground up. After moving back from Florida she wanted to do something with her life. She gravitated towards gymnastics since she had done that all of her life. Turning she let the spotter for the uneven bars take over again as she walked into her office. Sighing she sat down and looked out over her gym. She had her office upstairs so that she could watch over the girls when she had business to attend too. Jason had actually suggested that and for once she agreed with her big brother. Thinking of him reminded her that she was to go over to his house tonight. He and Trini had invited her over like they did every week. Most of the time though she had other plans like training one of the girls after hours because they had missed a practice or their parents wanted one on one time for their daughter. There were a few times when she refused because Tommy would be there. Thinking of her ex always bought a frown to her face. There was just something about him that rubbed her the wrong way since their breakup. She knew that most of that was the way that she had broken up with him. The letter had not been one of her finer moments but she couldn't think about that now. It had been ten years since the letter so she needed to get over it. She was jarred out of her past when she heard the phone ring. Sighing she reached over and picked it up.

"Pink Crane Gymnastics." She stated.

"_Yes are you currently taking any new students?"_ The woman asked as Kim smiled. She got these calls at least once a week. Everyone wanted their daughter to train with a Gold Medalist which she was grateful for since that mean she could keep her gym up and running.

"Well that depends, what age is your daughter?" Kim asked as she grabbed her notepad to take notes.

"_Well she is not my daughter since I am calling for a friend but she is 15."_ The woman said as thought of her older girls. She knew she could probably handle one more girl in that age range since most of them didn't need that much attention because they had been in it for most of their lives.

"Okay, has she been in gymnastics long? And what gym is she transferring from?" She asked. It was common for gymnast to change gyms if they thought that their current coach couldn't get them where they needed to be. Sometimes it was because of a job transfer that the girl had to move. She had just had one to transfer because her father had gotten a new job in New York. The family had wanted to stay for their daughter but the job was just too good to turn down. They then offered to move Kim to New York to continue training their daughter. She had smiled and said no thank you but she did provide them with a list of gyms that they could check into.

"_She only started last year but she practices every day."_ The woman said as Kim sighed. If the girl had only started last year then she would need a lot of work. Could she take on a girl like that a month before Regionals? Would that be fair to her other girls?

"Has she ever worked in a gym?" She asked thinking about how she could work the girl in.

"_Well no not really since she mainly uses the Youth Center for practice. She is good though."_ The woman stated which caused Kim to smile. She had worked out in the Youth Center too when she had been that age. She remembered when Coach Schmidt had asked her to move to train at his gym in Florida. It had been a dream come true and she had moved there.

"Okay how about she comes by tomorrow and I will see how much she can do and let you know. If she is really good then I will let her in." Kim stated with a smiled.

"_Okay what time tomorrow?"_ The woman asked.

"The gym opens at 7 so that should be fine." Kim said as the woman said thank you and hung up the phone. Kim smiled as she set the phone down. Someone then knocked on her open door and she looked up.

"Are you busy?" Sam asked as he walked into the room.

"No I just off the phone. We may have a new girl tomorrow." She said as he sat down. Sam had been working with her for about year now. He was a fellow gymnast that had been a little older than her when they competed at Worlds. He was in charge of the boys' team that practiced in the Annex building out back. She had wanted to expand the gym to include a boys team but knew that she couldn't coach them herself. Sam had come up to her last year wanting to know what she thought about having a boys team. She told him that she had been thinking about it but didn't have a coach. He had been hired that day and since then the boys had been a force to be reckoned with. The one sticking point had been the name of the gym. The boys didn't like going by Pink Crane. Knowing that it was true, she had let them drop the pink but they still had to use the crane so they were just Crane Gymnastics.

"What? Kim is it the right time to be taking on a new girl?" He asked leaning back on the sofa.

"I'm not sure but she is coming by at 7. I will see how good she is then decide if I can take her on." She said looking over her desk at him.

"Okay if you're sure, I mean you know that Regionals are a month away. She doesn't have much time to get ready." He stated.

"I know but maybe she won't need much." She said as he nodded.

"I guess you could be right, I mean look at Whitney. You had her whipped into shape in two weeks." He said talking about their top gymnast. She had come in a year ago transferring from another gym. She had wanted everything given to her but Kim quickly told her that she had to earn her place in the gym. Her parents hadn't been too happy about that but she just told them that they wanted her to train their daughter and this was how she did things. They finally agreed with her when Whitney won her first Gold Medal. The girl still had a few hang ups but Kim could deal with those as long as she worked hard and did what she asked of the girl.

"You're right but I have a feeling about this girl. I think that she is good." Kim said which caused him to laugh.

"You have a feeling? Kim, you always think that the next girl walking through those doors could be the next Mary Lou Retton. I hate to tell you that most of those girls will only go to Regionals and never make it past there." He said as she shook her head.

"I know that they can make it as long as they focus and do what I know they can do." She said as he sighed.

"I guess you're right since I am the same way about the boys." He said standing up. "Oh and by the way, do you want to grab something to eat tonight?" He asked looking back at her.

"No, I'm going over Jason and Trini's tonight. They are grilling out." She said as he nodded and walked out of her office. He had been asking her to dinner for a week now. Thankfully she always had plans or she would really have to turn him down. She just didn't want to get involved with anyone at the moment. This was the busiest time with Regionals, then Nationals and if they were lucky, Worlds. It was just a good thing that it wasn't an Olympic year. Those were always super busy.

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"Okay you have to be at the gym tomorrow at 7." Hayley said as she looked over at Tommy's niece. The girl had asked her to call the gym to see if she could get in. Kaylie looked more like Tommy than her own daddy. David always joked that the stork had gotten something wrong. Tommy always laughed but he did love his niece and would do anything for her. It had just been hard this past year with his recent ranger duties and teaching. Thankfully Mesogogg had been defeated and Tommy was living what he could call a normal life. Hayley knew that Tommy's life was never normal but she didn't say anything to him. She had met him in college. They had become super close even though everyone had thought that they were dating. Thinking back, she had to smile. Tommy really wasn't her type. She was attracted to someone less leaderish. It wasn't until their senior year that she learned why he acted like a leader. He had been one of the first leaders of the Power Rangers. It had been a shock to say the least when she learned that he had been a Power Ranger. Of course then she found out about all the other rangers and wondered why no one else could see that they were the rangers. They all still wore their colors which was weird until she helped with the newest team. Connor, Kira, Ethan, and Trent each wore their colors too long before they were rangers. She didn't know what it was about being a ranger and wearing your color. It had also been unnerving to watch them go into battle every time. At least she had Tommy to sit beside her until he got powers. She remembered Jason's crack about Tommy always getting new powers. He was a legend in the Ranger World which she found out was even bigger than she ever thought it could be. She had met all of the Original rangers except Kim. The Original Pink was something of a legend herself. After passing her powers over to Kat, she had gone on to win her first Gold Medal at the Pan Global games but she didn't stop there. Kim had won three more Gold Medals at the World games then two more at the Olympic Games. Everyone had been proud of her especially Tommy. Hayley couldn't really understand why he was since she had broken up with him in a letter. He had explained it to her though one day. He told her that he didn't blame Kim for that because they were on opposite sides of the country. He was still a ranger and she was chasing after her dream. They always seemed to miss each other when they did call. She had been mad at the woman for the longest time until Tommy had explained. It was something to see that he didn't blame her and if he didn't blame her then then Hayley knew that she couldn't either.

"Who is going to take me?" Kaylie asked jarring Hayley back to the present and their first problem.

"I haven't thought about that. I know I can't since I am opening in the morning. Maybe Tommy could take you?" Hayley suggested while trying to think if there was another way. It was one thing that she had called to get Kaylie in but it was quiet another for Tommy to actually take her. He had never really wanted his niece to do gymnastics though he never explained why. Hayley knew that it had something to do with Kim, she just didn't know what.

"What? Uncle Tommy can't take me; he would forget to come pick me up." Kaylie said as Hayley nodded. Tommy tended to forget things except anything to do with the rangers. He could remember every ranger's name and what team they had served with though. How he could do that, she never understood but he did.

"Well Connor, Kira, Ethan, and Trent have school or they could take you." She stated. It was bad that Kaylie's parents were away on business. They would love to take their daughter to the gym.

"I guess Uncle Tommy will have to work." The girl said with a huff. Hayley nodded. "I will go break the news to him that he has to get up early then." Kaylie said as she got up and went in search of her uncle. It shouldn't be too hard since he said that he would be home today. Hayley watched her leave and wondered what Tommy would think when he dropped her off in the morning. Would he even know that it was Kim's gym? Would he be mad at her for even thinking it was okay for Kaylie to attend Kim's gym? She just didn't know when it came to the Kim side of Tommy. It was a touchy subject to say the least.

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Tommy rubbed his eyes before leaning back in his chair. Grading these papers was torture for him. He really needed to get someone to do this for him. Looking up he saw his niece walking towards him. He smiled as she made her way into the room which was serving as his office at the moment since Kaylie had moved into what used to be his office. Since her parents were away on business, he had thought it was a good idea for her to just move in with him. At times that idea was the worst he had ever made because his niece was a teenage girl through and through. It was just a good thing that he had more than one bathroom or they would never get anywhere fast.

"Uncle Tommy?" She said as she paused in front of his desk.

"Yes?" He said with a smile. Kaylie was one of the joys of his life. She was the only child of his brother David and his wife Kelly.

"You will have to get up early tomorrow to take me to Angel Grove." She said in a rush.

"I thought we talked about you going to school in Reefside this year." He said leaning forward.

"I know but Hayley found me a gym to practice in." She rushed out. "It's one of the best." She stated as if that would sway his mind.

"Gym? As in you want to take gymnastics?" He asked narrowing his eyes.

"You know I love gymnastics and Ernie said I am really good." She said with a smile.

"Oh he did?" Tommy asked trying not to cave to her.

"Yea and he also told me that I remind him of Kimberly Hart. You know the famous gymnast from Angel Grove." She said causing him to wince. Of course Kaylie reminded Ernie of Kim. His niece was as good as Kim was at her age even though she had never been properly trained. It just came to her like it had Kim all those years ago. He didn't like the fact that she liked it so much because he was afraid of her getting hurt. He had seen Kim take way too many falls due to gymnastics. One of those falls landed her in the hospital which had scared ten years off his life. He didn't want that happening to her.

"I know who she is, remember I did live there." He stated with a smile.

"Oh I know but I just wanted you to know that I am really good and I want to join this gym." She said pleading with him.

"Fine what time do I need to have you there?" He sighed.

"Six forty-five." She said walking over to him. "Thank you!" She said kissing his cheek before backing away.

"Just don't make me late for work. I've already been late this week." Tommy said as she nodded before leaving him alone again. Sighing he got up and went in search of Hayley. She would pay for finding that gym if he could find her.

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The next morning Tommy woke up to music he wished had never been invented. Who on Earth thought that a Spice Girls reunion was a good idea should be shot. Groaning he rubbed his face before sitting up in his bed. She would be the death of him yet. He could survive numerous forms of torture at the hands of Goldar, Zedd, and Mesogogg but he could not handle his teenage niece. Sighing he got up and grabbed his clothes before walking into his bathroom. He might as well start getting ready since he was not getting any more sleep this morning. Pulling back the shower curtain he turned the water on and waited for it to warm up. He stepped in seconds later and groaned. Maybe he should've waited just a little bit longer. The water was freezing cold which did not help his mood any. After about ten minutes Tommy couldn't take the cold any longer. He would have to get a bigger hot water heater if Kaylie was going to be here long. He could not take cold showers every morning. There was just no way. Thirty minutes later he emerged from his room to find his niece standing at his door. She was dressed in a pink t-shirt and a pair of cutoff denim shorts.

"Is that what you're wearing?" He asked as he adjusted his tie.

"Yea to ride there but I have my leo in my bag." She stated holding her strap away from her shoulder to show him. He sighed but nodding. Why he didn't see that bright pink bag, he didn't know but at least she was prepared.

"Okay so we better get headed since I have to have you there at 6:45." He said walking past her to the door. On his way there, he grabbed his briefcase and keys before opening the door. Letting her go first, he shut and locked the door before walking to his Jeep that was parked beside the house. Kaylie was already in the car with her seatbelt on. "Why do you have to be there that early?" He asked before cranking the car.

"Well actually I have to be there at 7 but I didn't want to be late so that's why I told you 6:45." She said with a smile.

"What? I could've eaten breakfast." He said while backing out. "Just for that we are stopping so that I can eat." He said causing her to look at him. "Do want anything?" He asked.

"No I don't want anything. I ate back at the house. Please don't take too long. I don't want to be late for my first day." She stated with a pleading look in her eyes.

"Okay that's fine. By the way, I thought that you had to audition to get into a gym." He said turning into McDonald's parking lot to get into drive-thru.

"Well today is my audition and if I am good enough I get to practice there." She said with a smile.

Tommy just shook his head before ordering his food. He knew that his niece was good enough to become a part of any gym. It just worried him that she was. Making his way through the drive-thru he finally got his food and pulled back out on the road. They were about 10 minutes away from the gym according to his GPS. Kaylie had not wanted him to get lost so she had punched in the address last night. He had told her that he couldn't possibly get lost in Angel Grove but she wasn't taking any chances. Looking at the time, he knew that she would be early. He just hoped that someone would be there and have the gym unlocked. She would need to warm up before she started her day.

"We're here!" She said as he pulled into the parking lot. He also noticed that there were several cars already here so no problem with her getting in.

"Good luck." He said as she jumped out with her bag in hand.

"Thank you and don't forget to pick me up." She said before walking up to the building. He sighed before pulling away. He wondered who her coach would be and if it was anyone famous. Thinking back he should've looked at the sign to see if the coach's name was there. If he remembered he would do that when he picked her up this afternoon.

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Kim flipped back on the beam before stretching out. She flexed her feet and spun around before flipping one more time. Taking a breath she started her dismount with a cartwheel before twisting into a double flip. Seconds later her feet touched the blue mat as her arms came up. She was breathing hard but she loved to practice before any of the girls arrived. She heard clapping behind which caused her to turn and see who was here this early.

"You were amazing. I watched you preform that at Worlds." Kaylie said walking over to Kim.

"Thank you and who are you?" Kim asked as she grabbed her shirt and shorts. She always wore her leotard under her clothes just so she didn't have to change in and out of them all day.

"Oh I am Kaylie. You told me to come in today." She said.

"Yes well I am Kimberly Hart but most people just call me Kim. I will answer pretty much to anything but most of the girls just call me Coach." Kim stated. "The locker rooms are to the left where you can get changed before the others get here." She said pointing to the direction of the locker rooms.

"Okay thanks." Kaylie said before making her way there. She was nervous about trying out but she wanted this more than anything. Kim watched her walk away. Smiling as she herself walked up to her office, she knew that Kaylie would work out just fine. She paused at the top of the stairs and smiled. She couldn't wait for her girls to get here. The boys' team was already practicing since they had all agreed to come in early as opposed to staying later. The girls on the other hand wanted to stay later so that they could get some sleep in the mornings.

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Okay so what did everyone think? Please let me know. Also huge thanks to mykkila09 for telling me to go for it. The next chapter should be out soon.


	2. Double Arabian

A/N: I don't own anything other than the non-ranger characters. I hope that everyone enjoys this chapter.

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_For only the fourth time in history an American has won the World All-Around. Kimberly Anne Hart has done what only two other women have done. Kim Zmeskal was the first to win Gold in 1991 and Shannon Miller did it in 1993 and then again in 1994. This was Kimberly's year. To come from the little town of Angel Grove, she has proven that the United States can come out on top when it counts most. Angel Grove now has something else to boast of besides the Power Rangers. They have a World Champion in gymnastics. _

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Kaylie quickly changed into her leo and found an empty locker to put her bag in. She took a deep breath before walking out. This was it and she wanted to do well. She had to impress her favorite gymnast of all time. Stepping out into the main floor, she saw Kim running towards the vault. She held her breath as she watched one of the top gymnastic coaches launch herself into the air, touch the vault with her hands then do a double twisting tuck before her feet touched the ground. It was such a beautiful vault and one that had won the Gold Medal for Kim at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. It was one of the hardest because it was a blind landing which always freaked her out a little. There was just something about not seeing the ground before you landed.

Kim turned to find Kaylie standing near the beam watching her. "Okay why don't you show me what you got." Kim stated as Kaylie nodded. She watched the young girl walk over to the beam. Kim watched as she flipped onto the beam using the springboard at the end. Kim quickly moved the board out of the way so that she didn't get hurt if she fell off. She silently watched as Kaylie did a back-handspring that went into a round off. Kaylie raised her arms and arched her back to show the completion of that series before jumping up and doing a splits in midair. Kim watched as she completed a double arabian which stunned Kim. An arabian was hard enough but a double arabian on beam was almost impossible for a seasoned gymnast. There was really only one other gymnast that had landed that move just as cleanly and Carly Patterson had the dismount named after her. Kaylie knew what she was doing; she just needed a little polish. Kim watched as she did another series this time a double tuck with an open pike at the end. Kaylie came down and straddled the beam. It was a hard hit and on that you needed to practice. She then did a back walkover to come back up on her feet. Kim was impressed and she wasn't even finished. Brining her arms up, Kaylie took a breath before starting her dismount which consisted of two back handsprings before a double twisting double tuck. Her feet touched the floor and stuck the landing which impressed Kim even more. Sticking the landing was always the tricky part and even seasoned gymnasts had trouble with the landings.

"Well was it good?" Kaylie asked walking over to her. Kim could tell that she was nervous but she really didn't have anything to be nervous about. She was on top of her game.

"Yea it was good and I think that you are in." Kim said as Kaylie smiled before hugging Kim.

"Thank you, thank you. I don't know what to say." Kaylie said.

"Well don't thank me yet. You will be working harder than you have ever worked. This will be hard but I believe that you can do it." Kim said with a smile as the other girls started coming in. Kim watched as they walked to the locker room so that they could change and get to work.

"I promise you, I will work." Kaylie said as Kim nodded.

"You can start on the uneven bars when the others come out. Also I have a few rules." Kim said.

"Okay." Kaylie said looking at Kim intently.

"First never practice without a spotter, second support your teammates in every practice and competition, and lastly no diets unless I tell you that you need to go on one." Kim said before walking away from her. Kaylie stood there for a minute trying to process what Kim had told her. This was going to be something to get used to but she could do it.

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"Who's the new girl?" Whitney asked as she adjusted her wrist guards. She was on floor while she watched the new girl on the uneven bars.

"Kaylie, I think. She used to work out at the Youth Center." Emily said as she stepped in the chalk. She was up next for the floor. "I saw her a few times and she is good." She said as she walked over to the edge of the mat and raised her arms up. She smiled before lowering them and stepped on the blue mat. Starting at the corner she took off running and as she hit the center she completed her first pass which consisted of a back handspring, double layout, and ending it with another back handspring. She had three more passes before she was finished. They weren't practicing with their music because Kim wanted them to do their passes and land them cleanly before adding the music. Whitney looked away from Emily to where the new girl was. She had just dismounted from the uneven bars. It was an impressive routine and one that she had never really seen before. It was like the girl had taken all the best parts from some of the best routines. Where had she learned those moves if she didn't have a coach to show her?

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Tommy sighed as he climbed into his Jeep. It had been a long day at school and all he wanted to do was to go home and sleep. Sometimes he really hated his job and this just happened to be one of those times. Cranking his car, he headed toward Hayley's. It was one bright spot in his day. Kaylie would be there ready to go home. Pulling into the parking lot, he smiled. This place reminded him so much of Ernie's. It was probably one of the reasons that he enjoyed coming here. Walking through the door he spotted Hayley at the counter and made his way over there. He didn't see Kaylie but she could be in the back. She loved helping Hayley out whenever she could.

"Tommy, what are you doing here?" Hayley asked as she handed one of the customers a smoothie.

"What kind of question is that? I thought we were friends." He said with a smile.

"Well we are but you are supposed to be picking up your niece." She said turning to face him.

"What? She can walk from the high school." He said scratching his chin.

"Tommy sometimes I just want to slap you. Kaylie is at the gym, remember." She said as she watched realization dawn in his eyes. "You forgot her, in one short day." She stated as he nodded. She watched him stand up and walk back out the door. He looked tired which could explain why he forgot to get his niece but this was Tommy. He could forget from one minute to the next. She just didn't know what to do with him sometimes. She hoped that Kaylie did well her first day. It was such a joy to see her take that step toward her dream.

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Tommy pulled into the parking lot and saw his niece standing outside. "Crap!" He said more to himself for forgetting her. He knew that she wouldn't be mad because it was him but just one time he wanted to show her that he could do something right. He came to a stop as she opened the door.

"You forgot me." She said as he nodded. There was really no point in lying to her. She knew him all too well.

"Yea but I'm not too late though." He stated looking around at all the other cars pulling out.

"No you're not and I'm sure that's because Hayley told you the minute you stepped in the café." She said buckling her seatbelt. She had thrown her bag in the back of his Jeep when she had gotten in.

"She did." He said pulling away from the curb. He watched as she turned her attention to the radio and almost groaned when she found her station. "Please no Spice Girls." He pleaded as she smiled.

"Okay first off this is not the Spice Girls, its Destiny's Child and second you forgot me." She stated without looking at him.

"I am sorry about that and this Destiny's Child sounds the same just to let you know." He said with a smile.

"Maybe but your music all sounds the same too. I mean really who can tell the difference between Conway and Waylon." She said. "The only good one is Tim McGraw because he is hot." She said with a smile.

"What? He is way too old for you." Tommy said trying to get the word out of his head. His baby niece did not just say a guy was hot. She just didn't.

"Being too old does not factor into his hotness." She stated as Tommy groaned. He was not ready to deal her seeing boys as hot or even to start dating. This was not good and his brother needed to hurry up and come back. He didn't respond because he wanted this topic to be over. Minutes later he pulled up at his house. He watched her jump out and go into the house. How was he going to deal with a teenager?

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Kim watched the last girl leave and sighed. It had been a long day but the girls seemed to get along with Kaylie. She had started to wonder about who was going to pick Kaylie up but finally someone in a black Jeep pulled up. She didn't get to see who it was but it kind of reminded her of Tommy but this man had shorter hair. It was spiked or at least she thought it was since she didn't get that clear of a look. It couldn't be Tommy though because he won't have a kid that old. Sighing she walked up to her office to close shop for the day. She couldn't wait to get home and relax in front of the TV. Her entire body was sore but that was only because she insisted on showing the girls a few moves that they could use in Regionals. It was just an extra turn here or there but every little bit helped. Grabbing her bag, she turned off the lights to her office and walked to the main light switch. Glancing back she looked the gym over once more before turning the lights off and heading out. It was time to go home.

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Okay so what did everyone think? Please let me know. Also Kim Zmeskal and Shannon Miller are real gymnasts and they did win the All-Around Gold medal at Worlds in those years. Also the double arabian is one of the hardest stunts in gymnastics. The gymnast starts backwards, jumps and does a half turn in the air then performs two front flips in the air before landing. The part that makes it hard is the fact that it changes direction in mid air then you still have to flip before landing. Carly Patterson does this move well on the beam and the dismount is named after her. Shoutout to mykkila for your suggestions and support!


	3. Early

A/N: I don't own anything but the girls and Sam. I hope that everyone enjoys this chapter.

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The next morning Kelly Clarkson was blasting through the stereo in Kim's bedroom. She was humming as she toweled dry and got dressed. This was one of her favorite songs and just perfect for her morning routine. Running the brush through her hair, she grabbed a rubber band so that she could put her hair up. Looking around she found her shoes in front of her closet. Why did she take them off there? She shrugged and put them on before getting up and turning off her stereo. It was time to go. Walking out of her room, she grabbed her bag and a bottle of water before she walked outside. Locking her door, she climbed into her convertible Volkswagen beetle. It was a little chilly so she left the top up as she backed out of her drive and made her way to the gym. She couldn't wait for her day to start because she loved being a coach to these girls and help them reach their dreams just like she did. She had gotten to compete in Pan Globals, Nationals, Worlds, and the Olympics. Nationals and Worlds were the top until she made the Olympic team in 2000. Getting to go to Sydney and compete on the Olympic stage was something that she had dreamed of her entire life. The Olympics were a world all of their own and something that she hoped that her girls got to do. Pulling up to the gym, she smiled because she was ready for another day of gymnastics.

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Tommy stuffed the pillow over his head as the music vibrated through the house. Apparently Kaylie decided that girl bands were out because some freaking boy band was weaving its way into Tommy's bedroom. This was not a great way to start the morning. After about five minutes he decided that Kaylie was sending him a message to get up which he did. Walking into his bathroom, he stripped and climbed into the tub. Turning on the faucets he almost lost it. He would be going to the hardware store today because this water heater wasn't cutting it. He quickly finished and got out. This was just too much for him. Grabbing a nearby towel he wrapped it around his waist and walked back into his room. He stepped into his closet and grabbed a black button up shirt and paired it with black pants. Turning to his ties, he grabbed one of the only white ones and looped it around his neck. He would have to do it later as he located his socks and shoes. He smiled as the house went quiet and he knew that Kaylie was ready. Finished himself, he opened his door and saw her standing there waiting for him.

"So school today?" He asked before looking at what she was wearing.

"Do I look like I am going to school? Uncle Tommy, I would never wear this to school." She said motioning her outfit. Looking at it, he groaned. Sweat pants and a hoodie meant the gym.

"Okay sorry, I just thought that maybe you didn't like it yesterday and wouldn't want to go back." He said walking out and into his living room.

"No I loved it." She smiled as she grabbed her bag that was sitting on the couch from the night before. Sometimes she reminded him of someone that he preferred not to think about. She had always left stuff in the weirdest places.

"So what are you doing about school?" He asked as he led her out of the house and to his Jeep. She climbed in before answering him.

"Well we have a two hour break each day for lunch and schooling. Anything that we can't get done in those two hours is homework." She said as he pulled out of the drive.

"Two hours? I know that is not enough time to get anything done." He said.

"Actually it is. We have tests every week and if we don't pass one then we have to sit out a day of practice to study. Our coach is very adamant about that." She stated as he nodded. At least her coach made them do their studies. He knew that some only wanted them to focus on gymnastics.

"What time do I have to be back?" He asked pulling into the parking lot.

"Four and please don't be late again." She said climbing out. He handed her, her bag and watched her walk in. She was early, he knew but at least she was here. Now it was time for him to get to work but first he wanted breakfast.

XXXX

"Arch your back on that move and the next one will flow much better." Kim said as Scarlett did as she was told. Scarlett or Scar as the other girls called her was great on the beam whenever Kim could get her to focus. It was something that she just had to work on. "Make sure that she does that half turn in her dismount." Kim said to the spotter before walking away. Scarlett had over-rotated on her earlier dismount so Kim wanted to throw in another half turn to see if that helped. If it didn't then Kim would make her do only one and half turns. It wouldn't score as many points but she could stick the landing. Walking over to the uneven bars, she watched Emily release the high bar, flip before catching it again. She was getting better.

"What do you think of Emily's flip? Do you think that it's good enough for Regionals?" Karen, one of the spotters, asked.

"Actually I think its great. You were right; she needed that something extra in her routine. Now if we can get her squared away on floor then she has a great chance of medaling." Kim stated as Emily flew off the high bar in a series of rotations before her feet touched the mat. She smiled and clapped for Emily's dismount. It was a beautiful dismount and one that Emily had worked on for a month. Kim turned and made her way over to the vault. It was one of the events that the girls always had trouble with. There was just something about running toward an unmovable object then flipping over it. As she neared she saw Kaylie lining up to take her turn. This was the true test for the young gymnast. If she could do this then she had a real shot of being a great gymnast. Kim paused as Kaylie took off running. She cart wheeled hit the springboard flipped, touched the vault with her hands before completing a double flip. Kim smiled before walking over to her newest gymnast.

"Coach." Kaylie said with a smile as she walked toward Kim.

"Great job. I have never seen anyone who is new to the sport tackle the vault like that. I am impressed." Kim stated.

"Thank you but I'm not new to the sport." Kaylie said turning a little red from Kim's praise.

"I thought that you have never worked in a gym before." Kim said trying to understand.

"Oh I haven't. I mostly worked out in the Youth Center on the beam but for the other three, I went to the park." She said with a smile.

"How did you come up with the moves?" Kim asked.

"I have watched every competition that I could and even watched older ones on youtube." The girl stated while getting back in line for her next turn.

"I never thought of that even though I did the same thing." Kim said before stepping back to let Kaylie take her turn and just like the first time, she did a beautiful vault. It would be a great one to do at Regionals. Kim smiled before finally making her way over to floor. Whitney was up and she could tell that the gymnast had been practicing. Her passes were almost flawless and it looked like the only thing now was to put it to music.

"Hey Kim!" Sam yelled from behind her. Turning she smiled as she walked toward him.

"What's up?" She asked standing beside him while looking over her girls.

"How's the new girl coming along?" He asked looking down at her.

"Kaylie is doing great. She just tackled the vault with no problem." Kim stated as the girls rotated.

"Well that's good. They look like they are ready for Regionals." He stated as Kim nodded.

"I think they are." She said.

"I'm glad. Also the guys want to know what you are ordering for lunch." He asked turning to her.

"You know if you order then your guys will not keep asking." She said with a laugh. "But I think that pizza is on the menu." She stated.

"Good, they were hoping that it was." He said.

"Yea I'm sure. I will order enough for them as well. Lunch is in an hour." Kim said walking away from him. He smiled as she walked up to her office. If only she would say yes to a date with him. He had watched her go through her mess with Chris and had given her time that she said she needed but he wanted more from her. They would be good together, he knew. He just had to convince her of that.

XXXX

Tommy smiled as he pulled up outside of the gym. He was early for once and he remembered to pick up his niece without Hayley reminding him. She had called on his way over here but he was happy to tell her that he was almost there. He had thought that she had fainted until she finally answered him. Apparently she had fallen off her chair when he had said that he was almost to the gym. He then reminded her that he didn't forget things all the time which she had laughed at. Sometimes he wondered at who he had as friends. Parking his Jeep he looked up at the sign above the door and paused. Pink Crane Gymnastics could only mean one thing. The one woman who he never wanted to think about outside of the ranger world was training his niece. Sighing he got out and walked toward the door. Seeing her name on the door only confirmed his thoughts. What would Kimberly think about seeing him in her territory? Mentally preparing himself, he opened the door and walked inside. He saw her talking to the girls before turning on the mat. She took off running across the mat before completing a perfect double arabian. He stopped beside whoever the man was behind the girls.

"Wow I must say she had still got it. A double arabian is still one of the hardest moves." Tommy said crossing his across his chest. The man turned to face him.

"Who are you? The parent section is over there behind the glass." Sam said pointing to the left of them.

"Yea I see that it is but I know her." He said motioning to Kim who was walking back to the girls.

"I'm sure that you do since she is a Gold Medal winner but that doesn't change the fact that the parents' section is over there." He said once again. Tommy smiled before shaking his head. Apparently this man didn't believe him that he knew Kim. He wondered what this man would say if he knew that they had dated years ago.

"Yea you already said that." Tommy said as Kim noticed him. He knew the minute she realized that it was him and it made him happy. Every muscle she had locked up before she started walking toward him.

"Sir, if you would please take you place in the parents' section. The girls need to get back to practice." Sam said getting really angry that this guy would not get the hint and leave.

"Thomas Oliver, what are you doing in my gym?" Kim asked as she made her way over to him.

"Kim, you know this man?" Sam asked clearly shocked that Kim did know him.

"Yes I do. It's okay Sam, if you could go and watch over the girls. They are all practicing on floor." Kim said as Sam nodded and walked away. "Now explain." She said to Tommy.

"I am here to pick up one of your girls." He stated with a cocky smile.

"You cannot possibly be a parent to one of these girls because if you are then you owe me one heck of an apology." She stated as she crossed her arms. He grinned before stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"Why would I owe you an apology?" He asked.

"Because if you had a kid this age then you cheated on me in high school and that opens a whole other set of questions." She explained.

"No I am not here to pick up my daughter but my niece." He said explaining.

"Oh okay well then if you are picking up your niece, I would suggest your wife tell you to wear your wedding band." She stated.

"Are you jealous?" He asked with a smile. He had forgotten how much he loved to tease Kim.

"No just stating a fact." She replied.

"Well in answer to your unspoken question, I am not married." He said as he watched her eyes widened. He knew that she was trying to figure out what was going on.

"Okay then how is one of these girls your niece?" She asked.

"Well I'm pretty sure that she would be my niece if she is my brother's child." He stated.

"What? You have a brother?" She asked clearly upset. "I guess this just shows me that we are no longer friends." She said spinning away from him. She started walking up the stair close to them and he followed. He wanted to know why she was hurt.

"Kim, why are you upset?" He asked.

"Because once upon a time, you would've told me the minute you found out that you had a brother." She sighed. "I'm sorry. I know that we are not close anymore." She sighed. "Anyway you found you're family, that's great."

"Yea I found them back in high school. David is older than me and has been married for sixteen years. He and his wife are away on business for the next month at least. Kaylie is their only child." He explained as she nodded.

"She is really a great gymnast but I am surprised that you are letting her do gymnastics." Kim stated looking out over the gym. Kaylie was taking her turn on floor. She watched the young girl take off running and do the double arabian perfectly.

"Well that was not my choice. Her parents wanted her to get into some kind of sport and she picked gymnastics." He stated drawing her glaze back at him.

"Why wasn't she in a gym before now?" She asked.

"Well they didn't live near one." He said.

"Oh, well she is really good." Kim stated as he nodded. He knew that Kaylie was good. He had watched her practice in the Youth Center even if he didn't want to admit it. Watching her now, he could Kim when she was that age.

"Thank you for training her." He said quietly.

"It had nothing to do with you." She replied as he flinched. He heard the pain in her voice.

"I know but thank you anyway." He said as she nodded. He left then because he could tell it was what she wanted. Making his way back downstairs, he glanced back at Kim. She was looking out over the gym watching over her girls. He knew that she was a great coach. It was just something that he could see. Turning he made his way over to the parents' section and sighed. There were only women in there. This would not be a great thing for him. Maybe he should've pretended that he was married, it would at least keep those women at bay.

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Kim was pensive as she watched the end of practice. She would've never thought that she would see Tommy in her gym. It was the one place that she had counted on as her haven, her one place to get away from everything and everyone. Walking downstairs she smiled, the girls were doing well and looking ready to go to Nationals. Looking at her watch, she knew that it was time to call it a day.

"Okay that's a wrap. Great practice girls!" Kim yelled as all the girls paused. They smiled and made their way to the locker room. She knew that they were ready to go home and so was she. After seeing Tommy she wanted to retreat as quickly as possible.

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Okay so what did everyone think? Please let me know. So Tommy and Kim have met finally. Also huge thanks to those that have read and reviewed this story. The next chapter should be out soon.


	4. Hot Water

A/N: I don't own anything but the concept and the gym characters. I hope that everyone enjoys this chapter.

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Walking around the car, Kaylie finally asked the question that she had been dying to ask ever since she saw her uncle with her coach. "Do you know my coach?" She asked as she climbed into the Jeep.

"Yea I do but I'm not telling you any details." He said cranking the car before looking at her.

"You didn't tell me that you knew her." She said instead of asking for more information which puzzled him a little. He figured that she would want to know how he knew Kimberly.

"Well before this afternoon, I didn't know that Kimberly was your coach." He said pulling out of the parking lot. It had thrown him for a loop when he saw her standing with the girls. She looked the same as she did while they were in high school. How she could look the same, he didn't know but he was glad that she did. She brought back a lot of happy memories for him and his time in Angel Grove with the rangers.

"Are you okay with me training under her?" Kaylie asked dragging him from his past to the present. He could tell that his answer would decide her future as a gymnast.

"Yea why wouldn't I be?" He asked making the turn onto his road. He wanted only the best for his niece.

"Just in case she turned you down in high school or something. I mean I'm sure that you had girlfriends but they were not Coach." Kaylie said as he tried not to smile. He wondered what she would think if he told her that he had dated Kim for the better part of three years until she had decided that he was only a brother to her. Thinking about that comment still stirred him up but after rescuing her and Jason on Muranthis they had gotten to talk. It was then that he realized that she had done it so that she wouldn't cheat on him. She had been having feelings for another guy and instead of talking it out with him she did the first thing that came to mind. He had gotten the impression that the guy hadn't been too good to her but she refused to talk about him or her life in Florida. Jason had told him that all was not well for the Original Pink Ranger. He had been trying to get her to open up and had wanted Tommy to help in any way he could. Telling Jason that that wasn't a good idea had been hard but it had to be done. Kim was an adult and could take care of herself without any help from him or at least that's what he told himself.

"You know we were friends." He said without thinking. He didn't want to share with his niece but her implying that Kim wouldn't date had just rubbed him the wrong way.

"Yea you probably were since she was friends with everyone, I'm sure." She said leaning back against the seat. He tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

"No, I mean that we were close friends, in fact we were best friends." He said without coming right out and saying that they had been boyfriend, girlfriend.

"Yea okay." She said looking away from him. It was clear that she didn't believe him. If she ever walked into his room, she would see Kim's picture and know the truth. Maybe it was better that she didn't believe him. Finally seeing his mailbox, he sighed. Time to grade those essays that he thought was a good idea for his classes. He regretted his choice of an essay because most of them would be BS and the others would be hard to read. Pulling up to the house, he watched as Kaylie jumped out and made her way into the house. Unbuckling his seatbelt, he climbed out with his briefcase in hand. Time to get to work and stop thinking about Kimberly Anne Hart.

XXXX

Kim sighed as she made it into her house. Sam had wanted to talk after practice but she put him off by saying she was tired which she was. Seeing Tommy had exhausted her more than she ever thought it would. It had been a while since had saw him and never without the others around. He just reminded her of her stupid choice years ago in Florida. If she had been smart, she would've held onto him all those years ago. Those feelings that she thought were real had been a lie. Chris had not been good for her and she was only thankful that she had learned the truth soon enough. Thinking back she was pained to have written Tommy out of her life. She had never given him the choice of whether he wanted to end the relationship or not. She just forged ahead without him.

Walking into the kitchen she grabbed the leftovers from last night and popped them into the microwave. She still had to watch herself whenever she ate. The thought of how much food was in that dish made her want to throw up. Taking a deep breath she controlled those thoughts as the microwave dinged. It was an everyday process for her and one that she intended to conquer on her own. Opening it up, she pulled her food out and grabbed a fork. She then made her way into the living room so that she could relax in front of the TV. It had been a long day and seeing Tommy only made it longer. Sitting down Indian style on her couch, she grabbed the remote off her coffee table and flipped the TV on. Settling in she began to eat and not count how many times the fork hit the plate and was brought back to her mouth.

XXXX

_"How is it going at the gym? Are you practicing hard?"_ Kelly asked her daughter over the phone.

"I love it and yes I am working hard. Coach is awesome and did you know that Uncle Tommy knew her in high school. He claims that they were best friends but you know how he is." Kaylie said as she painted her toe nails. She loved talking to her mother every night since she didn't get to see her every day.

_"He did know her and I guess you could say they were best friends."_ Her mother said as Kaylie sighed. She didn't know what to think about Uncle Tommy knowing Kim. It was a little weird and made her want to know the whole story.

"Well then they are not now." She said looking down at her handy work. The pink looked better than she would've thought. She didn't know what it was but she just loved the color pink.

_"What do you mean by that?"_ Kelly asked trying to get information out of her daughter which was proving to be as hard it was with Tommy. In such a short time, Kaylie was turning into her uncle more and more. Kelly sighed and saw her husband walk into the room. He had already talked to their daughter before she had gotten the phone. David always wanted to speak to Kaylie first just to make sure that she was alright and taking good care of her uncle which was funny since she was child in the house.

"Well when she saw him they had words but I don't know what they were because we had to get back to the floor routine. They walked into her office after that." She said as she put up her nail polish. "Is it okay for me to continue to work with her?" Kaylie asked sitting back on her bed.

_"Yes, it will be just fine. Your uncle would have told you if it wasn't, I'm sure."_ Kelly said.

"Okay well I have some homework so I gotta go. Bye and I love you." Kaylie said as Kelly said her byes. Hitting end on her cell, Kaylie sighed. She missed her parents but she was really happy to be working with Kimberly. She was one of the best in the world and it was awesome to be coached by her. The only other person in the world who could top her would be Bela Karoyli but he hadn't coached since the 2000 Olympics as far as she knew. He was one of the greatest though.

XXXX

"_They said back at the gym that I would find you here." Kim said as she walked toward him in a pink outfit that only she could pull off. _

"_Yea I like to come here to clear my head." He said jumping off his rock and walking toward her. _

"_How have you've been?" She asked tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. _

"_I'm hanging just focusing on my karate." He said shifting his feet while his hands on his hips. _

"_We miss you." She said as a blush crept up her cheeks. _

"_You were a team long before I came along." He said trying to find a way to get just a little closer to her. _

"_I miss you." She said stunning herself and him. It was like she had looked into his mind and saw his thoughts. Tommy smiled and took Kim's hand in his. Looking her in the eyes he leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers. It was the sweetest first kiss. Pulling back he saw the smile in her eyes. _

"_I've been wanting to do that for a long time." He said with a smile. This was one of the best days of his life. _

"_Me too." She said which had him falling in love with her even more than what he already was. _

Tommy woke with a smile on his face. Thinking about his and Kim's first kiss always did that to him. It was one reason that no other woman had ever come close to replacing Kim in his heart. She was one in a million who had gotten him through one of the toughest times in his life. Becoming a Power Ranger had been awesome but it was hard to balance fighting evil with school and his family. She had been there to help him in any way that she could, which was the reason that he couldn't understand why she had broken up with him. Sighing he got out of bed and noticed that his niece wasn't playing any music. He had woken up before her. Smiling he got in the shower and enjoyed all the hot water he wanted which reminded him that he still hadn't got that hot water heater. Rinsing off the excess soap, he turned the water off and grabbed a towel from around the shower curtain. Pushing the curtain back, he got out and wrapped the towel around his waist and heard Kaylie turn up the music. Today it was at least voices he recognized. Where had she found his country CD? Shaking his head he grabbed his clothes and barely got them on before he heard her scream. Running out of his room and into the bathroom he paused to see what the problem was.

"Kaylie?" He asked as looked around. He didn't see anything that would cause her to scream.

"What happened to the hot water?" She yelled as he laughed. "Its not funny." She said as he kept laughing.

"Now you see what I had to work with the last two days." He said before walking back out. Going back to his room, he gathered up the graded papers to carry back to the students and put his shoes on. Finally ready, he walked back out into the hall and saw Kaylie coming out of her room.

"For the record, you need a bigger hot water heater. I do not like taking a cold shower." She said as he nodded.

"Just remind me this afternoon after I pick you up." He said.

"Oh believe, I will." She said following him out to his Jeep. The one good thing was they would both be early today.

XXXX

Kim smiled when she saw Kaylie walk into the gym. Walking over to her, she saw Kaylie's surprise.

"You know I am surprised that you have made it on time for the past few mornings with Tommy being your uncle." Kim said as Kaylie smiled.

"Well I sort of help in him getting up on time. Are you okay with training me? I mean with him being my uncle." She asked.

"Yes I am okay with training you. Tommy and I were very good friends in high school. We just let the years come between us." Kim said not knowing what Tommy had told his niece about their shared past. The less she said the better for everyone involved.

"Well as long as you are fine with it." She said before going to the locker room to change. Kim watched her leave before turning to the beam. Looking at it in the corner made her think of the time she had fallen at the Youth Center. If it wasn't for Katherine she didn't know what would have happened.

"Hey how is the new girl working out?" Sam asked from behind her. Kim spun around to face him. He had asked her that same question yesterday. He wanted something, she just knew.

Smiling she answered him. "She is doing very well. Its like she is a sponge and just soaking up whatever I tell her." Kim stated as Sam nodded.

"I'm glad." He said looking past her to the door before looking back at her. "Who was that man yesterday?" He asked getting to the real reason that he had sought her out this morning.

She sighed before answering him. "Sam, don't worry. He is an old friend and won't do anything to hurt me." She said walking up to her office. He followed close behind her.

"Are you sure, I mean when was the last time that you saw him?" He asked sitting down on her couch.

"About a year ago, we were friend in high school." She said with a sigh. She knew that Sam would want to know everything about Tommy. She was just unwilling to share Tommy with him or anyone really. Tommy was still sort of her hers or at least their past was hers. She didn't want anyone to color those memories of their dating.

"Kim, you may have known him really well in high school but I bet you that he had changed in that time. He is not the same boy that you knew." He said.

"Actually Tommy really hasn't changed that much and trust me I would know. Jason keeps me updated on Tommy at least once a month." She stated.

"Jason updates you on a boy you knew in high school?" He asked clearly not knowing what to do with that bit of information.

"Well he keeps me updates on all of our friends." She said. "But he did fail to mention that Tommy's niece was living with him. I will have to ask him about that." She mused to herself more than to him. Sam really didn't know what to think. It was like he was fighting her friends and her past. He had thought that Jason had liked him well enough in the few times that the two of them had met but now it seemed like he was trying to push Kim and this Tommy character together. He wondered if she had dated him. She had said that they were really good friends but could that mean that they had had something more? "Sam?"

"Oh what?" He asked when he realized that Kim had been saying his name.

"I said shouldn't you be getting back to your boys?" She asked sweetly as he nodded. Getting up he was lost in his own thoughts once again. Who was Tommy to her?

XXXX

Tommy made his way into the parent's section and sat down. He could see Kaylie on the uneven bars. She was looking better on those which made him smile. Kim was really working wonders on his niece.

"Hi, I saw you here yesterday. My name is Amelia." A blond woman said to him. She was sitting to his left and he really hadn't noticed her there when he had sat down.

"I'm Tommy. I assume that one of those girls is yours." He stated as she giggled.

"Why else would I be here? The one on floor is my girl, Whitney. She is the top ranked gymnast here." She said with pride. "Who is your daughter?" She asked.

"My niece is Kaylie on the uneven bars." He said trying not to invite her to say something else. He really didn't want to talk to her. She was one of those wives that didn't get enough attention from her husband. He would not be the next man that warmed her bed.

"Niece? So you're not married?" She asked as he cringed. He should've seen that coming.

"No I'm not." He stated calmly.

"Oh that's too bad; I know how it feels to be alone. You see my husband and I have just recently separated." She said moving over one seat so that she could be right next to him. Why had he taken this seat?

"I'm sorry about that." He said without looking at her hoping that she would get the hint.

"How about we get to know one another since our girls will be getting to know one another as well. You can come over tonight if that would work for you." She said which caused him to try to come up with an excuse that would make this woman leave him alone.

"Oh I'm sorry. We can't come tonight; I have several things to go over before tomorrow's lecture." He said with ease. He didn't have anything to do other than watch some TV but she didn't need to know that.

"Lecture? Are you a doctor or something?" She asked leaning into him a little more. Resisting the urge to move his chair away, he leaned back so that she wasn't right against him.

"Yea I am Doctor of Paleontology. I teach high school kids Science." He said as she smiled.

"A doctor, I thought so. You just have this air about you." She whispered.

"Well a teacher really. I can't perform surgery or anything like that. Hey what you know, practice is over. I really have to get Kaylie so that we can get home." He said jumping up. He let out a sigh of relief when he spotted Kim by herself. Hopefully Amelia won't hit on him while he was talking to her daughter's coach. She couldn't be that crass.

XXXX

Kim saw Tommy walking over to her and smiled. She had seen Amelia move to the seat next to him. Amelia was a woman on the hunt and Tommy was the only prey in sight. She almost felt sorry for him but it was good for him to have this to happen. She had always had creepy guys hitting on her while they were in high school. It was sort of funny to see Tommy go through that.

"What's with the smile?" He asked as he neared her.

"Just smiling over Amelia drooling over you." She said. "You did tell her that you were a teacher, didn't you?" She asked with her arms crossed across her chest.

"Yea I did and that seemed to make her want more. Please tell me that there is a dad section." He said with a pleading look in his eyes.

"No, I'm sorry but there isn't." She said as Kaylie came up beside them. It looked like she had just thrown her clothes over her leo which reminded Tommy of Kim. She did the same thing when they were in high school.

"Are you ready to go?" She asked while slinging her strap over her shoulder.

"Yea and don't forget to run by Lowes." She said before turning back to Kim. "Bye."

"Bye." She said with a smile.

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Okay so what did everyone think about this chapter? Please let me know. The next chapter should be out soon.


	5. Falling

A/N: Okay I don't own anything but the plot. I hope that everyone enjoys this chapter. Also huge shoutout to mae-E for guessing a few facts. I hope that this chapter is what you have been waiting for!

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'"Sir, I'm not sure that you need that big of a water heater." The sales guy said as Tommy nodded. Kaylie stood off to the right and nodded as well. The cold water was just too much for her this morning. She wanted the biggest size that they sold but Uncle Tommy didn't want to spend that much money.

"Oh believe I do." Tommy said as the salesman just shrugged and loaded the hot water heater on one of the flat buggies. Tommy thanked him and made his way to the front so that he could check out. This would solve at least one of his problems.

"Are you sure that you can put that in?" Kaylie asked as they walked out the doors a few minutes later. She hadn't thought about who would put that in until now. Her uncle was great at many things but installing appliances wasn't one of them.

"No but that's why I called Jason." He said as they neared his Jeep. Parked next to his black Jeep was Jason's red 4X4 Chevy truck. He knew that Kaylie would be happy about seeing Jason again. She had really bonded with all of his friends especially Jason and Trini. He wondered again about what she would think when she found out that Kim was one of his oldest friends and ex-girlfriend.

"Uncle Jason!" Kaylie said as she took off running toward one of her many honorary uncles. Jason opened his arms and caught her just in time. He was really attached to Tommy's niece as much as Tommy was. She reminded him so much of Kim when she was that age. The same joy that she spread to everyone with just a smile was just like Kim. It was one reason that Kim was so loved. She always knew the right thing to say at just the right moment.

"I never get that greeting." Tommy muttered when he came to a stop as Jason laughed.

"Its because she loves me and she has to live with you." He said as Kaylie nodded in agreement with Jason.

"Where's Aunt Trini?" Kaylie asked looking over at Jason's truck to see if she was still in the truck.

"She is cooking dinner for everyone at Tommy's house. I dropped her off before coming here. She thought that you needed a good meal for once." He said as he and Tommy loaded the heater into the back of his truck. "She knows that your uncle can't cook too much and you need more than fast food." He said as Tommy sighed. He loved it when Trini cooked. Since he didn't like cooking he didn't take the time to learn. Now that Kaylie was living with him he tried but it never really worked out too many times. Many nights they had had to call in for pizza or eat at Hayley's. It was just not his thing. Cooking was Kim's though. He remembered that she could cook just about anything and more often than not she would cook for him while they had been in high school. He loved it though and sometimes wished that he could go back to those days.

"I love Aunt Trini's cooking." Kaylie said as she jumped in the Jeep. Tommy smiled as Jason laughed once again. Tommy knew that he was picturing the time that Tommy had caught his hair on fire trying to make eggs. The fire department later explained that he had his gas turned up too high for what he was trying to do. He didn't even know that he had a gas stove so after his cutting off his beloved hair, he went to get an electric stove that he could at least use and not burn the house down. Getting in the Jeep he made his way home with Jason following close behind. It shouldn't be too hard to put in one water heater.

XXXX

Kim added the nutmeg and tasted it one more time. Finally the soup tasted the way it should. Smiling she grabbed a bowl from the cabinet and poured herself a huge bowl of it. Grabbing the crackers, she made her way into the living room. She remembered the first time that she had made the soup. Tommy had had a bad day at school and she had volunteered to cook for him. She had asked him what he wanted and the only dish he could think of was soup. He told her that it reminded him when he was little and he had had a bad day, his mom would make him soup. Sitting him down, she made the soup while he poured his heart out to her. Remembering that day made her remember how much she had loved him all those years ago. Everyone had told her that she didn't know what love was because she was too young. If she could have told them that she was doing something that made her see the world on a different level than anyone else they won't say that she didn't know what love was. She knew what it was and she also knew that she had never felt what she had felt with Tommy for any other guy. It was a fact that she didn't even try to deny. It would be like she was denying the one person that she had truly loved and that had truly loved her and Tommy couldn't be denied.

"Crap!" She said as she realized that she was thinking about Tommy again. She had promised herself that she won't think about him outside of the gym but he was invading her home. Looking around she knew that this was her safe haven from everything. She had made this house a home and knew that she won't change it for anything. She had needed somewhere safe to come and heal after Chris. It was a blessing that this place had been available and in her price range when she had been looking. Thinking back to that time made her smile, she was much stronger now and that's how it was going to stay. Tommy could bat those beautiful brown eyes all he wanted. She was standing her ground which meant keeping him at arm's length.

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"Do you think that we should call Uncle Billy?" Kaylie asked after loading the dishwasher. Trini sighed. It was a good idea.

"If I knew where he was at the moment, I would." She said looking at Kaylie. "Maybe they got it working now." She said as Kaylie just looked at her. She didn't want to explain that Billy was on his way back from Aqutiar. He had flown back there to gather the rest of his belongings since he was moving back to Earth to be near Hayley and everyone else.

"Yeah right." She said as she walked away. Trini heard her go into her bedroom which was down the hall. She herself decided to go check on Tommy and Jason. There might be something that she could do since she had actually read the manual. Making her way to the utility room she heard several words that would make a nun blush fly through the air. Really those men should know better with a teenager in the house but then she did watch cable TV. Peeking through the door almost made her gasp. They had parts everywhere along with more tools that this job would ever need.

"Okay boys why is this not working?" She asked leaning against the door frame. They were covered in grease which didn't really shock her even though they shouldn't be covered in grease changing out a water heater.

"We don't know. Its not working." Jason said standing up. Trini nodded before walking over to the new heater. Looking at what they had done she held back a sigh. They really should have looked at the instructions.

"Well if you would have wired it up then it might work." She said pointing to the wires at the back. "You know that it needs a power source." She said holding back a smile.

"Crap, Trini did you read the manual?" Jason asked looking over at her. Her husband knew her very well and had to know that she would read it.

"Maybe." She said leaning in to hook in the correct wires and smiled when it came on with a hum. "I do believe that you are in business." She said walking away from them.

"Jason, sometimes your wife just scares me. I mean really how did she know how to wire this up?" Tommy asked as Jason sighed. Trini once again showed him that she knew more about electrical stuff than he did.

"I think she spends too much time with Billy. I mean I listened to one of her conversations with Billy the other night and I tell you, I only knew about five words she said to him. Should I be worried about her leaving me for Billy?" He asked as Tommy gathered up the tools.

"No I don't think you should worry since he is dating Hayley." Tommy said with a smile. "And besides Trini loves you, you goof ball." Tommy said looking up at him.

"When did that happen?" Jason asked leaning against the door frame totally ignoring the last part of what Tommy had said.

"Uh about two months ago. He was meeting up with me and they just clicked. I felt like the loser friend they had to bring along as the third wheel and he was there to meet me." Tommy said standing up. He put his tool box on the shelf above his washer and dryer.

"Well I am glad that he has found someone and I like Hayley." Jason stated which made Tommy laugh.

"You know you didn't like her when you thought that I was dating her back in college." He said which made Jason wince. He remembered the first time he had met Hayley and it hadn't been too pretty.

"Yea well she wasn't right for you but she is for Billy." Jason said walking away from him. Tommy just laughed and followed him into the living room.

"Thank you for trying to help and thank you for actually making it work and for cooking supper." Tommy said to Trini. She smiled and walked over to him.

"You are most welcome but we better get going. I don't want you to be late for school tomorrow." She said with a smile before hugging him.

"I don't think that I will be late considering Kaylie needs a ride to the gym." He stated walking them to the door.

"Oh yea I forgot that you are having to take her." She said before following Jason outside and to their truck. "Bye!" She called out as Tommy waved to them from the front porch. He watched them until the made it into the road before going back inside. He locked up for the night and went to check on Kaylie. She was passed out with a textbook open up beside her on the bed. Smiling he picked up the book and put it on her desk before covering her up with a blanket that had been draped over her chair. Pausing at the door, he looked back at her one last time before flipping the light switch and going to his own room. Thankfully he didn't have anything to grade so he could just fall into bed and sleep until morning.

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Early morning light filtered through Kim's bedroom. She had woken up in the hours before dawn in a cold sweat. Chris had walked into her gym while she was performing on the balance beam as he walked over to her. Laughing he waited until she dismounted and commented that if she would lose those few pounds like he had told her, she would've got more air and added that full twist instead of just the half twist. Getting out of bed, she forced those thoughts to the back of her mind. Chris couldn't hurt her anymore and she was much stronger than she had been all those years ago. Walking over to her closet she grabbed a pink pair of sweats and walked into her bathroom. She changed as quickly as she could and ran out of the house. She had to get to the gym and work out. The girls would be here soon and she had to get her mind clear and ready for practice. Working on the beam was the only thing that she knew to do that would totally cleanse her nightmares. The only other thing that would work wasn't an option. She couldn't run into Tommy's arms like she had back in high school. It wasn't her right and it certainly wasn't her place.

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Tommy sat down and watched the end of practice. Kaylie had just landed a double twisting double tuck that looked perfect. She had rotated just perfect and once her feet touched the mat, she didn't take an extra step. Tommy had wanted to shout but knew that he needed to keep quiet. He was hiding in the back so not to attract anyone's attention. Amelia had just come on a little too strong yesterday and it sort of freaked him out. He wasn't taking any chances of her finding out he was here. Tommy turned her attention back to the gym and looked for Kim. He hadn't seen her when he came and wondered where she was. Looking up at her office, he saw that she was looking down at the girls while they practice. Her behavior was a little weird though because he knew that Nationals was really close and figured that she would want to be right with the girls as they perfected their stunts. She looked a little lost and somewhat sad standing up there and he wondered what was wrong. He had never really seen that combination in her before except when she was boarding the plane to go to Florida.

Shaking his head to clear that picture from his brain he looked back at Kaylie. She was back up on the beam getting ready to complete her first pass. As she raised her hands, he saw her foot shift and knew that she was about to fall. Standing up he edged closer to the door before he took off running as she fell off the beam.

XXXX

Kim looked at her watch again and knew that it was still thirty minutes until practice was over. She wanted to call it now but the girls needed all the extra time that they could spare right now. Nationals were three weeks away as of today and no one's routine was perfect yet. Most of them were close but they still had a few mistakes that needed to be ironed out.

Looking back at the girls, she saw Kaylie perform a handstand to get onto the beam. Smiling she knew that Kaylie's routine was one of the best the only problem was to get Kaylie to open up so more. She needed to show her passion rather than hold it in. Holding her breath she watched as Kaylie flipped to her feet and took a breath before beginning her first pass. Instantly Kim knew that something was wrong. She didn't know how but she just knew. Turning she made her way downstairs and to Kaylie's side as the girl hit the mat. Everything stopped them as the girls all rushed to Kaylie's side. Tommy was there before Kim could call out for him. Looking down she checked Kaylie over for any visible injury. Kaylie rolled over with a groan before opening her eyes.

"My feet slipped." She said to Kim and she nodded.

"Where does it hurt?" Tommy asked leaning over his niece. He was concerned that she had done some damage that would take her out of gymnastics.

"My side but that's because I landed on it." She said sitting up.

"I don't think that you should be sitting up right now." Kim stated as Tommy nodded.

"Kim's right maybe you should lie back down." He said as Kaylie slowly shook her head.

"No I'm fine just winded. You taught me how to fall remember." She stated as she stood up. All the other girls clapped before turning away to get back to what they were doing. Kaylie looked fine to them since she could get up and most of them had taken a fall like that with nothing wrong with them except hurt pride.

"I remember that lesson." Kim stated with a smile. The first lesson that Jason and Tommy always taught was to fall correctly. It was important when you did get hit to know how to fall so not to hurt anything else. It had come in handy while she had been a ranger.

"Uncle Tommy taught you how to fall?" Kaylie asked looking over at them. Kim knew that she had said something wrong.

"Uh well yes, he and Jason made sure that I knew how to protect myself." She stated as Tommy nodded. He didn't say anything though.

"You know Uncle Jason too?" The girl asked looking at her Uncle. Kim just nodded as Kaylie got back in line. It was almost her turn back on the beam. Kim held her breath as Kaylie once again did a handstand up onto the beam before flipping onto her feet. Taking a breath at the end of the beam, she touched a toe to the edge of the beam with her back facing the rest of the beam. Starting off her pass was a back handspring into two layouts before rounding it off with another back handspring. Her transition into each tumble was perfect and as her hands came up she arched her back before jumping up into a perfect splits. Kim let out the breath she was holding as she watched the rest of Kaylie's routine. Tommy stood silent beside her ready to jump in if Kaylie should need it. He was good to her, Kim could tell. She always thought that he would make the perfect father and this just proved it. Kaylie finally dismounted as Kim looked at her watch. Practice was over finally.

"Okay girls, good job for today." She said with a smile as the girls all headed for the locker room. Kim watched them and saw something that she hadn't noticed before about Scarlett. The girl was looking a little thinner than she had last week. Kim knew that she had just had a weigh in. She would watch over her for a little bit to see if the girl lost any more weight. No diets was one of her rules for a reason. You needed all the energy to perform the moves and not eating or throwing up anything you did eat would not help. It could only hurt the gymnast and she knew that first hand. She had learned that lesson the hard way. Shifting her thoughts away from that subject she turned to Tommy.

"You still haven't told her that we knew each back in high school." She said.

"Well I did but she didn't really believe me so I didn't push it." He stated as she nodded.

"She is going to start asking questions, you know that right?" She asked as the girls starting filing out of the locker room.

"I know and I'm not sure what I will say when she does. It's going to be weird for her." He said as Kaylie walked to them. "Are you ready?" He asked as she nodded.

"Bye Kaylie." Kim said.

"Bye." Kaylie relied as Kim sighed. Tommy was in for it on the ride home. Maybe Kaylie won't be too harsh with him.

XXXX

"Okay so you really did know Coach back in high school." Kaylie started as Tommy sighed. Kim was right.

"Yes but I told you that already." He said.

"Oh I know and I didn't really believe you but I guess I do now." She said looking away from him. He knew that this had to be awkward for her but he didn't know how to help her through this.

"What do you want to know?" He asked making his turn.

"Did you two ever date? I get this vibe that there was something special between you two." She said shifting toward him in her seat.

"We dated for three years and yes it was special. She went to Florida to train which I am sure that you already know and we drifted apart. Pretty much all of my friends are her friends in fact most of them were her friends before they were mine." He said pulling up in front of his house.

"Okay why didn't you just tell me? I mean I think I can handle one of your ex-girlfriends. I mean I have met Kat and you use to date her." She said. He sighed and turned to face her.

"I didn't date Kat only went out on dates with her very different with Kimberly. I just want you to be okay with my past." He said.

"I am okay with your past as long as you never tell me that you were a Power Ranger or something like that." She said before getting out the vehicle and going into the house. Leaning back he closed his eyes. This was harder than he ever thought it would be. Raising a child was not a walk in the park. Opening his eyes, he wondered what his darling niece would say if she found out that he was Power Ranger and had in fact just recently retired. She would probably freak if she ever learned the truth about her uncle. Opening the door, he grabbed his briefcase and made his way into the house.

XXXX

Kim smiled as she looked at the caller ID. She hadn't spoken to Zack in forever.

"Hello." She said grabbing a drink out of the fridge before walking into the living room.

_"What is my favorite pink up too?" _He asked as she smiled again. Zack was such a joy to talk too. He always put her in a good mood no matter what.

"I just got home from practice and you know that otherwise you would've called the gym." She said. "What's up with you and Angela?" She asked propping her feet up on the coffee table. It was so good to just sit back and relax after a long day at the gym.

_"We are good but we wanted to know if we should set up the guest room for you during Nationals. I noticed on the website that it was here this year." _He said as she laughed. Zack always wanted her to stay with him during Nationals or any competition that was in LA.

"You know that I have to stay in the hotel with the girls." She said in lou of an answer. She would love to stay in their mansion but it just wasn't possible.

_"Angela knew that you would say that but you know that we have that full downstairs that the girls can stay in. It would be plenty of room for your girls." _He said as Kim just shook her head. He was a mess most of the time but that was the reason they were friends.

"I know but the parents will be with the girls so hotel this time around. Thank you though." She said.

_"How is Tommy's niece doing?" _He asked suddenly.

"How did you know about Kaylie before I did?" She asked.

_"Jason told me that you were training her. Okay since you are not staying with us, Angela wants to at least have dinner one night." _He said steering away from the topic of Kaylie. She would grill him when she came down there for Nationals.

"Okay no problem, have you gotten your tickets yet?" She asked trying to think about how many tickets she needed to get for everyone. She loved having her friends there to watch her girls perform.

_"Yea I just got them yesterday in fact. Angela didn't want to miss out this time so she had me order them." _He stated as she smiled. He never let her get him tickets. He said that he made enough money that she didn't have to buy him a few tickets. _"She was really mad the last time when I could only get one ticket because I had waited until the last minute." _Kim smiled because she remembered that Zack had also slept on the couch that night because of not ordering the tickets sooner.

"Good then I can't wait to see you there." She said as she heard a knock on the door. "Hey Zack, I got to go." She said as they said their byes. Standing up she made her way to the front door, she opened it up and tried not to fall.

"Kimberly, can I come in?" Tommy asked as Kim nodded and moved to the side to let him enter. What was he doing here?

XXXX

Okay waht did everyone think? Please let me know. The next chapter should be out soon.


	6. Taking a Step

A/N: I don't own anything but the concept and the people at the gym. Also huge thanks to my girl mykkila09 for convincing me to keep this chapter the way it is. I hope you and everyone else likes this chapter.

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Tommy looked around Kim's house while she was fixing him something to drink. Smiling he saw that her house was totally her style. Everything was girly. The only thing that he had guessed wrong was the fact that there was so little pink. He figured that she would have pink everywhere but she didn't. The entrance was white and very inviting while the living room where he was currently standing was varying shades of brown and looked cozy. Her couch that looked like it would fit ten of her was chocolate brown while her walls were a light almost neutral brown.

"I hope that sweet tea is alright, I fell in love with it after I moved to Florida." She said handing him a glass.

"Sweet tea? I am shocked Kim." He said with a smile as he took a drink. It was really good and something that he could get use too.

"Well I did live in the South for a few years. Some things just kind of grow on you and this is one of them." She said motioning toward the couch. He waited until she sat down before taking the seat next to her. "What brings you here?" She asked setting her glass on her coffee table in front of them.

"I would've thought that you would want to know how I knew where you lived first." He said placing his glass beside hers on the table.

"Oh I am sure that a certain Red Ranger gave you that information. He does tend to fill everyone in on everything." She sat bringing her legs in front of her on the cushion. He watched as she tucked them under her. She could always sit like that.

"Actually no, Jason didn't tell me because I didn't want him to know that I was here." He said causing her to look at him.

"How did you find me then?" She asked trying to run through their friends that wouldn't tell Jason that Tommy was asking where she lived.

"I goggled you." He said with a smile. "You know that you are a very popular search. There are pictures of you from every competition that you were at. Some of them you were just a coach but most you were doing some stunt." He said as she nodded. She had goggled herself a few times. She had wanted to see how she had looked during her dark days. Thankfully she really didn't look too different which hid her condition back then. It was better that way so that the other rangers didn't ask questions. She wanted that time in her life to disappear completely.

"Well now that I know that anyone can find me on goggle, why are you here?" She asked as he sighed. He knew that she would want to know why he just showed up.

"David and his wife are in town and I wanted to let them have time with Kaylie without me hiding out in my bedroom." He said as she nodded. "I normally hang out at Jason's but since they spent yesterday at my house, I thought that I would give them a break from me." He explained as she nodded again. He couldn't tell what she was thinking though which shook him a little. He had always been able to tell what Kim was thinking.

"So you decided to crash at my place, what if I'd had company?" She asked looking over at him.

"I would hope that you would've told me before you let me come in." He said as she smiled.

"I don't know that you would've left even if there would've been someone here. You are a law unto yourself, Tommy Oliver." She said untucking her legs to sit Indian style beside him.

"Now you know that's not true. What were you doing before I showed up?" He asked looking around to see if anything personal was lying around to give him a hint about who Kim was now. He found nothing though.

"Talking to Zack about Nationals, he wanted me and the girls to stay with him and Angela." She stated as he nodded. Zack had called him but he had just ignored the call. He was on talking to David at the time of his call and when he had tried him back, the line had been busy. Apparently the Zack-man was on the phone with Kim at the time.

"Well he does have room in that monster of a house." Tommy said as she nodded.

"But I need to stay in the hotel with the girls. Their parents will be there and I know that most of them wouldn't want to stay with someone that they don't know even if he is a major music producer." She informed him.

"I didn't think about that. I may stay with him because David and Kelly will be in the hotel with Kaylie." He said leaning back. "Unless you want to share?" He suggested as she smiled.

"I am sharing a room with one of the assistant coaches." She said as he frowned.

"Sam?" He asked as she sighed. She didn't want to talk about Sam with Tommy.

"No, Karen." She said not saying anything else.

"Did you ever date him?" He asked quietly. Groaning because she knew the real reason why he came over. He wanted to talk. There was something on his mind and he wouldn't leave until he had his answers.

"No, I didn't. Sam is just a friend that helped me out while I was in Florida. Now what woman should I question you on?" She asked looking directly at him.

"So Sam wasn't the one that you broke up with me for?" He asked as she shook her head.

"His name was Chris. Are you sure you want to hear this?" She asked studying him. He knew that if he told her no now then he would never hear this. He wanted to know what put the shadows in her eyes. Looking her in the eye he nodded.

"Yes I want to hear this." He stated just so she was clear.

"Fine, Chris was a gymnast there. He was also one of the spotters." She said before pausing to get a drink. "We talked and became really close. I was so lonely without everyone there and I knew I would be but not that much. He asked me out on a date which I refused. I told him that I had a boyfriend back home." She said looking away from him. She didn't want to see the hurt that she just knew would be in his eyes. "He seemed to take that okay but then after a few weeks, he tried again. By this time, we had let those three thousand miles come between us and I started to feel something for him." She said.

"So you wrote me that letter." He interjected.

"Yes, and it was a few weeks later he asked me out again. This time I did say yes. I think I shocked him a little bit. After that we went on several dates until we realized that the relationship just wasn't going anywhere." She said looking away again. She didn't want him to see the truth because it would reveal that it was she who didn't let the relationship grow. She just couldn't let go of Tommy but in that she had let Chris break through her mental barriers. It was the only reason that she had let his mental abuse go unnoticed for so long.

"Did you sleep with him?" He asked bringing her back to the present where Chris couldn't hurt her any longer.

"No, I didn't because that would've cheapened what we shared that night." She said grabbing his hand. Looking back she was glad that Tommy was her first. He had been her first in everything else. She knew that she couldn't sleep with Chris because he would never be Tommy and she didn't want him to be.

"Well that's at least one thing." He stated. She let go of his hand in anger.

"Should I ask you about Kat?" She asked jumping up to her feet.

"What about Katherine?" He asked standing up as well. She was pacing in front of the coffee table as he circled it. He didn't want that table between them. It had been too many years for them and now they were finally talking about all those years ago and it felt good. She might be angry but this was a major step for them and they needed to take it to move past it.

"Did you sleep with her?" She fired at him as she came toe to toe with him. She was close enough that he saw the fire in her eyes.

"No I did not. It was only you." He said.

"Now why should I believe that? You were the star of the school and leader of the Power Rangers for goodness sake." She fired back. His hands itched to take her in his arms. She was the only one that ever inspired this feeling in him.

"And you were the only girl that I wanted." He said giving up the fight. Sliding his arms around her petite body he took her lips with his. This was what Kim did to him. He was reduced to a hormonal teenager whenever he got near enough to her and he was just tired of fighting it.

Kim was not fighting him and she knew why. She was tired of fighting her body over him. He was the only one that had ever made her feel this way. It was really sad but it was the truth. Chris could have never erased Tommy from Kim's mind. Sliding her arms around Tommy's neck she leaned into his body and let him take over. She couldn't fight him anymore and for this moment she didn't want too.

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Sunlight filtered into Kim's bedroom the next morning and woke Tommy up. Opening his eyes he felt Kim move beside him. He knew that she wouldn't want a repeat of last night this morning. In fact he was pretty sure that she wouldn't a repeat at all. Knowing that she had lost control and with him would be all it took. Sighing he shifted his arms above his head. It was a good thing that today was Saturday because he didn't know if he could sit through class and not think about last night.

"You can stop thinking about last night. It was a one off and something that we needed to get out of our systems." Kim said rolling away from him. He immediately felt her loss but sat up anyway.

"How do you always know what I am thinking?" He asked watching her stand up. He could tell her that she was very comfortable in her nudity which shocked him a little. She had always been shy around him in high school.

"Tommy, I know you. Don't worry I won't demand anything on you." She said grabbing an old t-shirt and sliding it over her head. He knew that shirt very well since it was his in high school. The shirt was big on her and flew to her thighs. It looked great on her.

"I know you won't." He said standing up. "Kaylie is going to flip." He commented as Kim sighed. She had forgotten about how Kaylie would react to them sleeping together.

"We just can't tell her." Kim stated as Tommy nodded. He knew that but keeping it from her would be hard.

XXXX

Kaylie made her way toward Tommy's room. She wanted him to join them for breakfast this morning since she didn't get to talk to him last night. He had slipped away while she was talking to her parents. She had stayed up late waiting for him but he never came home. He had to be home now though because normally he came in while everyone was sleeping. Opening his door quietly, she peeked in and saw that his bed was empty. Walking all the way into his room, she noticed some pictures on his nightstand.

Picking one up, she looked at it and almost dropped it. There was her Uncle Tommy with his arms wrapped around Kim. They were not facing the camera but in fact facing each other. The look in their eyes almost took her breath away. They were in love, very deep love. What had happened to them? She knew that they wouldn't tell her but Uncle Jason might. What if she could get them back together? A love like theirs had been shouldn't be thrown away. He hadn't told her to full story on them.

She put the picture back and grabbed another. This one had Jason, Rocky, Adam, Zack, Billy, Aisha, Tanya, Trini, Kat, Kim, and Tommy. It didn't look that old maybe five years or so. She could still see the bond between her uncle and her coach but something else she noticed was that everyone was wearing certain color. Jason and Rocky had on red; Zack and Adam had on black; Trini, Aisha, and Tanya had on yellow, Billy had on blue; Kim and Kat had on pink; and Tommy had on mostly white. It was weird because they still wore those colors except for Uncle Tommy. He now wore black but in some of his pictures he wore green then white then red and now black. Turning she looked at another picture and counted six in that photo. There were six Power Rangers when the Green Ranger joined and that was around the time that Uncle Tommy had moved to Angel Grove. Was he a Power Ranger? And if so then was everyone else a ranger too?

Backing out of the room, she was lost in her thoughts. Was her uncle and his friends the Power Rangers and why hadn't he told her?

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The following Monday Kim knew the moment Tommy walked into her gym. She had not been able to get Friday night out of her mind and she had tried. She did not need to have Tommy back in her thoughts. It had taken years to get him out before. At least he was still amazing in bed. She knew that she shouldn't have asked him about Kat. She knew that they hadn't slept together because Kat had told her several years ago. The former Pink Ranger had wanted Kim to know for some reason. It had been just a heat of the moment that had just fired them up. It was no wonder that they fell into bed. She really wondered how they made it to her room. The good thing was that he had left shortly after waking up. Kaylie had called his cell to invite him to breakfast. Seconds later Kaylie had called her too but she decline. There was only so much Tommy a girl could take.

"Is everything okay?" Sam asked bringing her out of her thoughts.

"Yea just nervous about Nationals." She stated as he nodded. It was the first time that she had lied to Sam since her recovery. She had made him a promise that she would never lie to him but after one night with Tommy the promise had been thrown to the side. He wouldn't like the fact that she had slept with an old boyfriend but she couldn't help it.

"Are you sure?" He asked as she turned to look at him.

"Yes. What are you doing her anyway? Shouldn't you be watching your boys?" She asked with a smile. She tried to tease with him but knew that she had hurt his feelings. The look in his eyes made her hurt more than him. "I'm sorry." She said as he nodded.

"I was just checking on you because you seemed a little lost this morning. The boys are actually on break. They seemed to be really nailing their routines." He said as she nodded.

"So are the girls." She said nodding to them.

"Yea they look ready but I will let you get back to watching them. If you need to talk you know where to find me." He said as she nodded.

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Sam eased back away from Kim. He was still trying to figure out what was wrong with her. It wasn't like her to hide anything from him and he didn't like it. He just knew that it had something to do with Kaylie's uncle. He had seen Kim's reaction when the guy had walked in earlier. Walking over to the parent's section he watched as Tommy sat down and waited for the end of practice. He would have a word with him because he refused to see Kim in the same shape she had been in years ago.

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Practice was finally over. It had been torture to be this close to Kim and not react. She wanted this and he did too but what he hadn't counted on was picking her up after practice. David and Kelly traveled to the reservation to visit old friends while they were town. He had promised to pick Kaylie up tomorrow from practice. Tommy slowly stood up and tried to take his time so that he didn't have to face Kim alone. She really didn't look happy when he walked in earlier. Apparently their link to each other was still working because he had known where she was at the moment he had stepped into the gym. It had probably been a good thing that he had to pick Kaylie up because it gave him a chance to see Kim again but also to talk to his niece. She had been quiet since he had joined her for breakfast which was not like her. She didn't even questioned where he had been the night before which was great because he really didn't want to lie to her. It would not set a good example for her and might give her the wrong impression of her coach. He also thought that she was too young to know that he uncle was having sex. Even though at her age Kim and the others had been Power Rangers saving the World from Rita. Sighing when he saw Kaylie walking out of the locker room, he made his way out of the parent's section.

"Tommy right?" He heard behind him. He turned to look and saw Sam leaning against the wall.

"Yea I'm Tommy." He said as Sam nodded and walked over to him.

"I'm Sam, the boys' team coach." He said extending his hand forward.

"Nice to meet you." Tommy said as she shook the man's hand. He really didn't want to talk to the man because he knew that Sam had something for Kim even if Kim couldn't see it.

"I wish I could say the same but it's not nice to meet you. I don't know what you think is going to happen with Kim but whatever it is, it's not happening." He said as Tommy just stared. He didn't know what this man thought he knew but apparently he didn't know all he thought he did about Kim.

"Well I am here for my niece because she wants to train under Kim so I hope that Kim trains her." Tommy said with a hint of anger.

"I know that's not the only reason that you are here. Kim is off limits." Sam said.

"The last time I looked Kimberly is a grown woman and doesn't need you to scare guys away. She is more than capable of doing that herself if that's what she wants." Tommy said really getting angry now. Kim didn't know that this guy wanted to be more than her friend. Sam had probably been in love with Kim since Florida and had never had any competition for her before now.

"Just stay away from her." He said. Tommy got an evil thought then. If Sam thought that his warning to stay away from Kim would keep Tommy at bay, he had another thing coming. Tommy wasn't chosen as the Evil Green Ranger for nothing. Turning he saw Kim watching the girls leave and knew that he should probably not do what he was thinking but he couldn't let Sam think that he had won. Walking over to his former girlfriend, he did something would incur her wrath later but he wasn't stopping. Stopping just a breath from her, he grabbed her and kissed her on the lips. The kiss only lasted for a few seconds but it was enough to cause Sam to stomp out of the gym. Smiling Tommy let go of Kim and motioned for Kaylie to follow him out. They were not over by a long shot.

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Okay so what did everyone think? Please let me know. The next chapter should be out soon!


	7. Knowing the Truth

A/N: I don't own anything but the gym people. I hope that everyone likes this chapter.

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Kim couldn't believe the nerve of Tommy. What made him think that it was alright to kiss her like that in front of everyone at the gym? She was fuming mad which was one reason that she was on her way to his house right now. She didn't care if Kaylie heard or saw anything that she shouldn't. Tommy would not get away with that stunt he had pulled. What part of they couldn't be together did the man not understand? Making her turn into Reefside, she hit the steering wheel with her hand. She had wanted to talk to Scarlett after practice today but Tommy had blown her thoughts right out of the water. Sam had even disappeared which was odd since she had guessed that he would want to talk about how Tommy had acted in front of the girls. It was then that she remembered that Sam had been talking to Tommy right before Tommy had walked over to her to kiss her. What had Sam said to him? He was not a violent guy and she would be shocked if he had said something out of line. Sam had been there when she needed him the most. He surely wouldn't have said anything to Tommy about that time. It had been a promise that she had gained from him after Coach had confronted her about her problem. Seeing Tommy's mailbox or at least what she thought was his mailbox made her pause for only a second. She was doing this now or she wouldn't do it at all. Pulling in she got out of her car slowly and watched as Tommy came out onto the front porch to meet her.

"I thought that I might see you tonight so I sent Kaylie to dinner with her folks." He said leaning against one of the posts.

"You knew that stunt would make me mad, why did you do it?" She asked walking toward the front porch.

"Well your buddy Sam warned me to stay away." He said as if that explained everything.

"So you decided to show him that no one bosses Thomas Oliver?" She asked from the steps.

"No, I showed him that he has no claim on you because you are a grown woman who can make decisions without his help." He stated as she stood beside him. "Also I don't know if you know this but he is in love with you." He said.

"What? No, Sam isn't in love with me; he's just a really good friend that helped me when I needed it." She fired back.

Tommy looked down at her and sighed. She had no clue that Sam was in love with her. "Kim, I know what a man looks like when he is in love with you. Believe me I saw that face every morning of high school." He said softly as she looked away.

"Sam isn't like that." She said looking back at him.

"You may not think so because he hides it so well but that man loves you." He said as she shook her head.

"No he doesn't. Look, can we go inside?" She asked as he nodded before opening the door for her. Following her inside he pulled the door closed and joined her on the couch. Unlike her living room, his actually looked like someone lived here. He had magazines and books on the coffee table, shoes next to the door, and a pile of clothes piled in his recliner. Kaylie had done that this morning because he hadn't got them out of the dryer. She had told him that she wasn't folding his clothes that she wasn't his mother or wife. He needed to learn how to do things on his own. He had smiled at that but didn't say anything else. "Man you need a housekeeper." Kim stated pulling him back to her and their conversation.

"Nah, I like the lived-in feel." He said looking back at her.

"Whatever." She muttered before taking a breath. "Okay Sam doesn't love me. He just is very protective of me. He saw me at my worst and I think that it shook him more than he will ever tell me." She said as he nodded.

"Yea well that doesn't explain the fact that he warned me away from you today at the gym." Tommy stated.

"He just doesn't want to see me get hurt again." She said before she thought about it.

"Again? Kimberly when were you hurt? Did you fall off the beam again?" He asked and she knew that she would have to tell him. Thinking about it made her realize that he should probably know about her problem. It might make him see that she was broken and not available for anything beyond friendship.

"No, I didn't fall off the beam. I wasn't hurt per say. I told you about Chris and how the relationship just wasn't right." She said as he nodded. "Well after I broke up with you, he had made the suggestion that if I lost a few pounds that I could get more air and thus be able to perform more stunts. I could add a half turn and score better." She said before stopping. She had to get control of her thoughts. "Anyway I did it, I lost five pounds in less than a week and I felt great. It just seem like I was flying through the air and I landed more of my stunts. Everyone was impressed." She said.

"But he wanted more?" He questioned as she nodded.

"Yea he said just think if you lost ten pounds what you would be able to do. So I lost five more pounds and then that wasn't enough so I lost more. I was doing better than I ever had but then it was like Chris wanted more. He wanted me to push every move to the next level. It was like I was never good enough for him. After a few months I began to think that I wasn't good enough so I pushed harder." She paused. "Chris then started pressing me to take our relationship further. He said if I loved him then I would sleep with him. His comment just cleared the haze that he surrounded me with. I told him that I didn't love him and to get out of my life. The only problem was his damage was already done. I pushed even harder to be better than even I knew." She said.

"Kim, you were always good to be better would have been close to impossible." He said grabbing her hand.

"You are just saying that because you never saw those girls. They were the best of the best and I wanted to be at their level. It was coach that finally figured out something was wrong with me. I was performing on the beam at Pans. After my dismount, he pulled me aside and asked me to get on the scale in the locker room. He had one of the female coaches with him. I just knew at that moment that my career was over. Stepping on the scale I closed my eyes as he read the number off. He didn't get mad just explained that I was out of the competition and if I wanted to stay in the sport that I would need to work to get myself back to a healthy weight." She said closing her eyes. "So that's where Sam comes in. Coach had asked him to start training with me but also to watch what I ate and how much. On top of that our coach started ordering pizza and take out every day for lunch. The bathrooms were locked so that we had to have someone with us when we went. You see I wasn't the only one that had a problem." She said.

"Which eating disorder did you have?" He asked.

"Both, I either wouldn't eat or when I did eat, I would puke it up." She said quietly.

"How did you get over it?" He asked wanting to know.

"You see that's the problem, you never really get over it. I still count how many bites I take of a piece of pizza. Gradually I did get better though. I wasn't allowed to compete until I brought my weight up and that took a good year." She stated.

"So that's why you did perform at Nationals." He replied as she nodded.

"Yea the press thought that I had strained something but I just couldn't compete in my condition. During one of practices leading up to Nationals I couldn't even flip onto the beam. It was then that I realized that I was weaker than I have ever been and looking back I have never been that weak not even when Zedd was stealing my powers. I had let the disease take over and it was controlling me." She said.

"Why did you? Kim you are a stronger person than that." He interjected.

"At first losing those few pounds I felt like the Pink Ranger again. I felt lighter than I had in months and everyone was calling me agile and graceful. Dulcea had called me those when I became the Crane. Losing those first few pounds, I felt like I did when I was in Angel Grove and I loved it. It was like I had never left but after that I couldn't seem to get that feeling back so I pushed harder and harder but nothing worked. Sometimes you don't realize that you are hurting yourself." She explained.

"Why didn't you call me?" He asked as she started crying. He handed her a tissue so that she could dry her eyes and blow her nose before continuing.

"Because I got myself in this mess plus I had already broken your heart. I did come when I was better though. Jason had finally convinced me to visit Angel Grove and Sam had said that it was a good idea to go. He told me that I had been in the same place in my recovery for a while. After I got back from Angel Grove, I finally gained back the rest of the weight I had lost. I was too late for Pans but just in time for Nationals. It was my first test back in the competition and I passed with flying colors. After that Sam stayed on to make sure that I didn't regress and to help other girls that were going through the same thing." She said regaining control.

"I am glad that he was there but sometime in the last few years, he has come to love you as more than a friend. Kim, I don't want to cause any bad feelings between us but that man loves you." He said looking into her watery eyes.

"I just don't see it." She said looking away as he sighed. "Where is your restroom?" She asked him.

"First right down the hall," He said as she stood up and started walking that way. "Oh and you're not broken." He stated turning to look at her.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"You are not broken. I know why you told me that story. You wanted me to see that you are not the same person that you once were and that you were now this weak woman who has to force herself to eat. Well your plan didn't work." He said with a smile.

"Why?" She simply asked.

"Because instead of showing me a weak girl; you showed me a strong woman who has fought for her life back and has come out on top. You showed me that you are every bit the Pink Ranger that Zordon chose all those years ago." He said as she turned and walked away. He knew that she had only shared that to erect some barriers between them but all she did was prove to him that she was just as strong as she had ever been. She may not know it yet but they had taken that step that she didn't want to take. They had just become more than just friends. You didn't tell a friend about one of the lowest points in your life. You told a best friend or a boyfriend.

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Kim shivered as she gripped the edge of the sink. She had made a mistake in telling him the whole ugly story because now he knew her darkest secret and instead of driving him away, it had bought him closer. Calling herself every kind of fool, she heard Tommy pace close to the door. She was sure that he wanted to charge in and take care of everything but this time it wasn't happening. She had survived without him for the past couple of years. Turning the water on, she splashed her face as her phone began to vibrate and sing in her pocket. Cussing she turned the water off and dried her face as she fumbled for her phone.

"Hello?" She answered without looking at her caller ID.

"_Since when are you not at home after a day at the gym?"_ Jason asked as she groaned.

"Kim, are you alright?" Tommy shouted through the door as Kim gripped her phone tighter. Maybe Jason didn't hear Tommy, yea right and maybe Jason was the Pink Ranger.

"_Well, well my little sister what are you doing at fearless leader's house?"_ Jason asked as Tommy pounded on the door again.

"Jason, I will call you back." She said closing the phone as she opened the door. Tommy was standing there with his hand raise as if to pound the door again.

"I was getting worried about you." He said looking her up and down.

"I am a big girl, Tommy." She said as he nodded. "Anyway I better go before Kaylie gets back and thinks the worst." She said walking past him into the living room. He followed her before stopping in front of the front door.

"Kim, are you alright?" He asked looking down at her.

"I'm fine. Now I need to go." She said grabbing the door knob but Tommy didn't move.

"Kimberly, I probably know you better than you know yourself and you are not fine but I also know that you are not going to say anything more today. Just know that I am here if you want to talk." He said moving to the side as she stared at him. He placed his hand on top of hers and twisted the knob to open it. She seemed to snap out of her trance then and made her way outside. Tommy watched as she got in her car and drive away. He might have said the wrong thing but it needed to be said. She wasn't fine and he didn't know how to fix that for her because he wanted to fix it for her. He wanted her to be whole again and not have all those shadows in her eyes.

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"Jason, what did you want earlier?" Kim asked as she made her turn back to Angel Grove.

"_I wanted to visit my little sister but she wasn't home. No, instead she was at her ex-boyfriend's house."_ He said as she sighed and rolled her eyes. She couldn't just drive to Tommy's house without Jason or one of the others calling her. It was like there was a beacon that sounded off somewhere that made sure that everyone knew she was with Tommy.

"I needed to talk to him about Kaylie." She lied as Jason laughed.

"_Yea right, you would not drive to his house just to talk about his niece. You went there to get it on."_ He said with a laugh.

"I did not!" She yelled into the phone. "I would not do that with anyone of my students' guardians." She said in a much calmer tone.

"_Yea that might be true but this is Tommy that we are talking about. There is something there."_ He said as she pulled into her driveway. She really didn't want to have this conversation with Jason but he just would not let this go.

"Jason, Tommy may be in the picture but that doesn't mean that I want to get back together with him. I mean that I am super busy with Nationals coming up then Worlds. I don't have time for a boyfriend or anything else." She said getting out of her car and walking into her house.

"_Even I know that that is just an excuse and a weak one at that. Oh and the reason for my call is that Trini and I will be staying at Zack's during Nationals. We wanted to surprise you but you were off with lover boy." _He said as she smiled. She completely ignored his last jab in favor of peace between them.

"I am happy that you will be there to watch my girls." She said.

"_I know, I know but we are there to watch you as well." _He replied as she laughed. The others were always convinced that she would surprise everyone and compete again. She would smile and just laugh.

"I am not competing. This is the girls' time to shine." She said. "Anyway I need to go so that I can eat and get in the bed. I have a long day tomorrow." She said.

_"Okay I get the message, call if you need anything."_ He said as they said their goodbyes. Shutting her phone, she sat it on the counter in her kitchen as she grabbed a cereal box and bowl out of the cabinet. She wasn't that hungry after her talk with Tommy but she needed to eat something.

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Walking in the gym the next day, Kim knew that she would have to talk to Scarlett today. Last night after talking to Tommy had made a world of difference. She didn't know it at the time but after getting home and settling down, she felt a peace come over her. Going to bed had been a piece of cake too. In the past she used to have to work-out until she pasted out. Over the years, she had learned that it would be hours of her lying in bed until she became sleepy enough to push past her problems. Last night though, she was asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow. Talking out her problem seemed to help much more than all the therapy in the world. It could've also been that her sheets still smelled like Tommy.

"Hey Coach!" Scarlett said as she walked out of the locker room. Kim smiled and saw her chance to talk to the young girl. The others were still in the locker room and she really didn't want an audience for this.

"Scarlett, can I have a word with you in my office?" She asked the girl nodded and followed her up the stairs. Kim closed the door as Scarlett took a seat on the couch.

"Have I done something wrong?" She asked looking up at Kim.

"No but I do have a question to ask you." She said as Scarlett nodded. "Now I know that this is very personal but I want to know how long you have been losing weight." Kim asked as the young girl went pale.

"I'm not." She lied as Kim took a seat next to her on the couch.

"Now don't lie to me because I can see that you have lost weight. You know that one of my rules is no diets unless approved by me." She said as the girl nodded. "How long?" She asked again.

"About two months, I wanted to land my stunts better and I read online that if I was smaller I could get more air." She said as Kim took her hands in hers.

"No that's not true." Kim said.

"Are you going to kick me off the team?" Scarlett asked clearly concerned.

"No I'm not but you are not competing at Nationals." She said.

"But if I don't compete at Nationals then I can't be on the Worlds team." She said as she started crying.

"You need to get better before you even think about competing again. Now, Coach Sam will be working with you." She said as Scarlett jumped up.

"What? Coach Sam is the boys coach. How is he even qualified to help me?" She asked.

"Because he helped me." Kim stated as Scarlett just looked at her.

"Helped you with what?" She asked softly.

"My eating disorder." Kim stated just as softly. "No one knows but a select few. He will help you get back to your proper weight and since you haven't been hurting yourself that long, you should bounce back fast." Kim said standing up.

"Fast enough for Nationals?" Scarlett questioned as Kim looked at her.

"Let's just take this one day at a time. Now I suggest you get to work." Kim said as Scarlett nodded and walked out. Kim had spoken with Sam last night and he had agreed to work with Scarlett. They were both hoping that she hadn't been at this too long. Kim was sure that she had caught her soon enough though. Walking out she saw Scarlett take her place in the rotation for the floor routine. She didn't want the other girls to know about Scarlett in case they got any ideas. Thinking back to her conversation to Sam last night made her remember what Tommy had said about him. She had detected something in his tone but brushed it off. Tommy was putting thoughts in her head about Sam. He wasn't in love with her. He was like a brother to her like Jason or Rocky.

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Kaylie looked over at her coach and tried to picture her with a Pink Ranger suit on. She could almost see it but she didn't know if she believed it. They would have been her age to be the rangers from Angel Grove. Were they really capable of battling monsters every day and no one finding out about it? She knew that the Space team had been revealed on their last mission and they were some of Uncle Tommy's friends. Was it all just a big cover-up?

"Kaylie, your turn." Karen said as she nodded. Jumping up she grabbed the bar, started her routine. Pushing thoughts of her uncle and his friends out of her mind, she went through her routine. She had to get her game together for Nationals.

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When Tommy walked in the next day he didn't see Sam anywhere. Maybe the man knew that he shouldn't have told Tommy to stay away from Kim. Tommy would stay away from her when she told him too and only then if it was not out of fear. She couldn't just tell him to stay away because she didn't want people to see them together and got the wrong impression. They had been friends long before they had started dating in high school and at this time, that's what he wanted back. Sam would just have to deal with the fact that he was in Kim's life. After she had told him her story, he knew that he now knew more about her than Sam did because Sam would never know about her being the Pink Ranger. He also probably wouldn't know about her still struggling with her disease. Kim would want to keep that from him in case he thought that she wasn't well.

Looking over at his niece, he knew that she would be disappointed that her parents had not come to pick her up. They had called about an hour ago and told him that there was no way that they could make it so he told them not to rush. Kaylie would still be mad though. She had not seen them that much since they had gotten back and he knew that they would be leaving soon. It was at least good that they had already taken off for Nationals because he didn't know if his niece would forgive them for missing that. Practice was one thing but missing Nationals would mean that they just didn't care about her or what she does or at least that would be the way she saw it.

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Okay what did everyone think? Please let me know. The next chapter should be out soon.


	8. Seducing You

A/N: I don't own anything but the concept and some of the characters. I hope that everyone likes this chapter and sorry for not getting this up sooner.

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"Where's mom and dad?" Kaylie asked as Tommy walked over to her.

"They had to go back to the reservation." He said walking her out. He barely glanced at Kim as he walked past her but he did sense her watching him. Smiling he continued on and let her watch. He couldn't even explain why he was so happy that she was watching only that he was.

"You know they came here to see me not the reservation." Kaylie cried as she ran to the car. Pausing he watched his niece jump in the car and knew that his joy was nothing compared to her despair. He hoped that David would be there when they got home. Kaylie needed to spend more time with her parents than with her uncle. Sighing he made his way to the car feeling a little heavier than a few minutes ago. He would talk to David and tell them that he would lose his daughter if he continued to ignore her for the reservation.

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Kim finally let out the breath that she was holding. She was a little nervous over what Tommy would pull today but he was on his best behavior. He didn't even glance her way as he walked past her which hurt a little. She couldn't explain why it hurt that he didn't look at her only that it did.

"You know I was shocked that that man kissed you yesterday." Amelia said snapping Kim out of her thoughts. She hadn't even heard her walk up behind her.

"We are old friends." Kim replied trying to be vague about her past with Tommy.

"Old friends? He doesn't look at you like you are friends." Amelia pointed out as Kim held back a groan. Of course Tommy didn't look at her like they were old friends because they were more than that.

"He's just a little intense that's all." Kim stated as Whitney walked over to them.

"Hey mom, are you ready to go?" She asked as Amelia nodded.

"Have a good night." Kim said as Whitney nodded before they walked away. Kim released a breath that she didn't even know she held. Amelia was a busybody but mostly she was harmless. Turning Kim saw that most of everything was put up for the day so she went on to her office. She had a few things that needed her attention like the lineup for Nationals. She would have to take Scarlett off the form. Scarlett may think that she would be ready but Kim knew better. She would need time to recover whatever weight she had lost and time to rethink her eating habits or really lack of eating. Sighing she sat down and rubbed her face. How had she let Scarlett get that far? Making sure that the girls were in top condition was her main job and she had failed. She couldn't let that happen again.

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Tommy pulled up to his house and saw that David and Kelly were back. Good, he thought because he didn't want to have to call them and tell them to come back and spend some time with their daughter.

"Oh look, they manage to beat us home." Kaylie said as Tommy groaned. She was in a fine mood now. This would not be a great dinner maybe they would take her out to dinner and he could have a peaceful meal at home.

"Kaylie, just talk to them." He said as she looked at him before jumping up and walked up to the house. This did not bode well. Grabbing his briefcase and her bag, he got out and walked into the house. He smelled dinner which meant that they weren't going out but at least he didn't have to cook for himself. Maybe he could escape afterwards and let Kaylie spend time with her parents.

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The next day had Tommy smiling because Kaylie and her parents were talking and they were picking her up after practice. He was riding with but only because they didn't know where they were going. It would give him a chance to talk to Kim without Kaylie popping up. Walking into his class, he smiled because it would only be a few hours until he saw Kim again. This day just couldn't go by fast enough.

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"Arms up." Kim said to Whitney. She watched as the girl did as she said before completing her flip. Whitney was getting better and better as long as she remembered to take a breath before each move. She just wanted to rush through each move which did not help her. Kim turned her attention to her newest student. Kaylie was getting better too but she needed just a little more time to polish some of her moves. Kim knew that if Kaylie didn't take the extra time then she would not be ready for Nationals. They were two weeks away. She would just have to stay after practice for the next two weeks. It would be hard but when Kim was finished with her, Kaylie would be on the same level as Whitney and Scarlett. Feeling a rush of air, Kim knew the moment that Tommy walked in. She didn't even have to turn around to know that it was him. They had a link that could not be broken no matter how much she cut at it. Shifting her thoughts back to Kaylie, she watched the young girl flipped off the high bar to land almost perfectly on her feet. She did have a little hop that Kim noticed but maybe adding a half tuck at the end may solve that.

"Karen." Kim said as the spotter walked over to her.

"Yea?" She asked while still keeping an eye on Scarlett who was on the beam now.

"I want to add a half tuck to Kaylie's dismount and I need you to stay late." Kim said as Karen nodded. Kim always asked her to stay if one of the girls needed a little more help with something.

"Okay no problem." Karen said as Kim watched the end of practice.

"That's its for today ladies, Scarlett and Kaylie I need to speak with you." Kim said as all the girls except for Scarlett and Kaylie both of the walked over to Kim to see what she wanted. "Kaylie I want you to start staying later to get you on the same level as the other girls." Kim said as Kaylie nodded. "Karen will be helping you." She said as Kaylie nodded before walking over to Karen.

"Coach you wanted to see me?" Scarlett asked.

"Follow me." Kim said as she walked up to her office. "Okay step on the scale please." She said as the girl walked over to the scale. She knew that she would have to weigh at some time. Kim braced herself for whatever number popped up. Scarlett didn't know it but this was harder for Kim to face than her. It was like reliving her past all over again. She let out a sigh when she saw that Scarlett had really only lost about twenty pounds. It seemed like such a low number but when you don't really weigh that much to begin with twenty pounds is huge. "Okay Coach Sam will be working with you in the mornings starting tomorrow. Also he will have breakfast for you so you can wait to eat at the gym." Kim stated.

"But I always eat at home." Scarlett protested.

"You did but I am sure that it was not very healthy for you. He will have something for you that will give you energy and slowly put the weight back on." Kim said.

"In time for Nationals?" Scarlett asked as Kim sighed.

"If you really want to compete at Nationals, you have to gain back most of the weight you lost but you have to gain it back right. No purging because that will do more harm than good. Now you will be eating two meals here at the gym so the third meal will be whatever you want but I would make it at least two starches and a meat. The combination seems to work really well. Oh and eat something sweet tonight." She said with a smile.

"Something sweet like chocolate?" Scarlett asked horrified.

"Well it doesn't have to be chocolate but that would work. Trust me it will help retain some calories." She said as Scarlett nodded. "You can go." Kim said as she watched the young girl take off. Kim laughed when she remembered her face. Chocolate may not be the best for someone who needed to be in top shape but it was perfect for Scarlett as long as she didn't overdo it she could compete at Nationals. She just had to push past her weigh issues.

"You may need to eat something sweet as well." Tommy said from the stairs. Kim smiled as he made his way into her office.

"Shouldn't you be watching over your niece?" She asked as he smiled.

"David and Kelly are down there watching her along with your spotter." He said standing beside her looking out over the gym.

"Tommy why are you up here?" She asked looking at him.

"I just wanted to talk to you." He said looking down at her.

"Tommy." Kim said with a warning.

"What? I just wanted to talk." He said circling her.

"Yea right, you know that we can't do anything." She said.

"I'm not doing anything but talking." He countered.

"You remember where talking got us last time." She said. "I cannot get involve with one of my students' parents." She said backing away from him.

"But I'm not a parent." He replied circling her again.

"Well I can't get involve with students' guardians either." She protested.

"I'm not really her guardian though." He stated as she tried to think of something else. She had never really seen this side of Tommy and it kind of turn her on. "I'm an old friend." He whispered.

"Are you trying to seduce me?" She asked with a smile. She was trying to diffuse the air around them. It had suddenly become hard to breath.

"I'm not trying, I am seducing you." He stated as her eyes went wide. "You forget I know all about how your body reacts to me." He said inching closer to her. She tried to count to ten but couldn't get past three.

"Tommy," She warned before leaned down. She thought that he was going to kiss her but was shocked when he stopped short of her lips.

"I know that when I place my hand on the small of your back that your breath catches." He said as he placed his hand there. She tried to not catch her breath but it just too hard. Dang him for knowing that fact. "I know that if I laced my fingers through yours that you lick your lips." He said moving his hand from her back to her hand. She didn't even realize that she had licked her lips until she licked them again and felt the wetness. Tommy Oliver was something else.

"Tommy." Kim tried again but this time he circled her and was standing behind her. She didn't know what he was about to do but she didn't have to wait too long.

"I also know that if I breathe on your neck that you sigh and turn your head just a little so that I can kiss that one spot." He said as she did just as she had said but he didn't kiss her neck. Instead he laughed softly snapping her out of her daze. "No Kim I'm not trying to seduce you. I know how to seduce and I could've had you right here, right now if I had wanted." He said before walking away from her. Clenching her fists she knew that he was right but she didn't want him to be right. She was trying to fight this attraction while he was embracing it with all his seduction skills that he had. She would get him back. He thought that he was the only one that knew those small things about her. She knew how his body reacted to her, how it had always reacted to her. She didn't stop to think about what it was mean if she played his game only that she knew that she would.

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Tommy smiled as he walked to the parent's section to join David and Kelly. He probably shouldn't have done that to Kim but she had been trying to push him away. It just didn't sit right with him that she was pushing him because of the gym. He knew that the gym couldn't be the reason that she was pushing him away. There was something else and it all had to do with her weight problems from Florida. For some reason, she felt that she wasn't good enough for him anymore which was crazy. She had battled her way back to a healthy weight and become one of the most medaled gymnasts in the country just knowing that she had had a problem and had fought her way back only made him want her more. This was Kimberly and the only girl he had dated that had ever touched his heart. The others had been great but there was just something that made Kim just a little more special. He knew that it wasn't the fact that she had broken up with him. It was just something that he couldn't define and really didn't even want to try. Looking at his niece on the beam, he could see that she was becoming a great gymnast. Kim could work wonders but then she always could. She had always made sure that everyone fit in with their group. No one had felt slighted.

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The next day Kim had her battle plan in place. She couldn't wait to see his face. Looking out over her gym she watched Kaylie land her new dismount. She was looking better than even yesterday. Kim couldn't wait to see her perform at Nationals. The girl had everything she needed to medal; she just had to bring it to the table. Watching Kaylie take her place in front of the vault, she didn't hear Tommy come up behind her.

"I see that you have made her dismount better." He said as Kim spun around.

"Yea I added a half tuck and it seems to be the thing she needed." She said with a smile.

"Yea it does." He said smiling back at her.

"You know you are not helping us get over this attraction by coming up here." She stated.

"Maybe I don't want to fight or I'm not affected by it like you are." He replied as she looked at him. This was her chance and he had opened the door.

"Oh really, are you sure about that?" She asked as he nodded. "Okay well I know that if I hook a finger through your belt loop that you clench your back." She said as she did just that. Tommy reacted just like she said he would. He knew her game but he wasn't stopping it. She was proving that she was still had something for him. "I also know that if I brush my hand across your forearm that you grit your teeth." She said brushing his arm and smiling as he gritted his teeth.

"Kim, you don't know what you are dealing with." He stated trying to control his breath. She was seducing him and he liked it just a little too much.

"Oh I think I do." She said standing in front of him. "I know that if I brush my fingertips along your neck where your hair used to be that your nostrils flare." She said bringing her hand up to do just that but Tommy just couldn't take it any longer. Leaning down he captured her lips in a kiss meant to prove to her that he wasn't playing. This was real and it wasn't going away.

"Tommy, we can't." She protested but didn't pull away.

"We can." He said kissing her neck in her favorite spot.

"No we really can't here. Kaylie is downstairs and so is Karen." She said looking up at him.

"Oh I thought that you meant that we can't be together at all." He said as she sighed.

"Well I did mean that too." She said pulling away from him. She had made the mistake of playing his game. She couldn't afford to be wrapped up in him again because it would be worse than Chris. The good thing was Tommy wouldn't convince her to hurt her body like Chris had but she had to focus on her gym and her girls. "Tommy, this gym and these girls are my life right now. I can't afford to screw this up." She said as Tommy looked away. He heard the words but at this moment he wanted to be in the equation too. Looking back at the woman that stood before him, he knew that he had to change her mind but for now he would bow to her wishes. He owed it to her.

"Okay we will do this your way for now." He said as she nodded.

"I'm sorry but this is my life now." She said turning away from him. He didn't say anything though just turned to look out over the gym with her. Kaylie was doing better than he ever thought she would and that was because of the special woman at his side. She was making his niece's dream come true and he loved her for that.

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Okay so what did everyone think? Please let me know. Nationals is fastly approaching for the girls and Kim, more friends will start showing up in the next few chapters. The next chapter should be up soon.


	9. Jealous

A/N: I don't anything and I hope that everyone enjoys this chapter. I am sorry that I am late in posting this but I just kept adding to it.

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Kim heard the door open as Whitney rolled up from the floor. She thought that it was Tommy but looking at the clock hanging on the wall behind Whitney showed that it was too early for him. Turning around she smiled when she saw who it was.

"Katherine Hilliard, what are you doing in my gym?" Kim asked walking over to the blonde who was dressed in a baby pink t-shirt and jeans. Kim felt a little undressed in her leotard but then again Kim had always felt like that when she was around Kat. She couldn't explain it because it wasn't all the time just some times.

"Kim, you are looking good." Kat said hugging Kim. She smiled because only Kat could say that to her while she was sweaty. The blonde really knew how to make Kim feel better.

"Thanks and so are you." Kim stated looking her over. "What are you doing back in the States?" She asked leading her up to her office. It had been a while since she had seen her.

"I am into between companies right now." Kat said sitting on the couch. "I thought about relocating back to the West Coast because I miss everyone." She said leaning back and crossing her legs. Kim leaned against the edge of her desk.

"The West Coast is a great place to live. You know that I chose to move back here." She said looking at Kat.

"I know." Kat said with a laugh. "Also I wanted to see your girls at Nationals." Kat said as Kim nodded.

"I figured that, everyone is ready for Nationals." Kim stated with a smile.

"Do you need any help with their floor routines?" Kat asked. She had helped the girls last year before Nationals because she had been on break from the London Dance Company.

"Yea if you want to help." Kim said walking over to look over the gym.

"They are looking good, Kim. You have done well." Kat said walking up next to her.

"Thank you but it's the girls." She replied looking at Kaylie who was running towards the vault. They would be working on her dismount this afternoon.

"I see that Kaylie is practicing here." Kat commented. "She is looking better than she was." She said which caused Kim to look at her.

"You know about Kaylie?" Kim asked as Kat nodded. "Of course you know about her. I am apparently the only one out of the loop." Kim said shifting away.

"Don't worry about it. You know how Tommy is." Kat said with a smile.

"Yea I do." Kim said turning away from Kat. It was time to get back downstairs. "If you want to help, just talk to Karen. She can get you set up." She said walking back downstairs. Kat watched as the Original Pink Ranger made her way back down to the floor. She hoped that Jason's idea worked because she could tell that Kim was hurt about not knowing about Kaylie. Sighing she made her way downstairs to talk to Karen. She would help the girls if they needed it. It would help her stay close to Kim and hopefully make the plan work.

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Tommy walked into the gym two hours later and saw that Jason did call Kat. He still wasn't sure if this was a good idea but Jason seemed to think that it was. He wanted to help Tommy in getting Kim back. Tommy had made the mistake in telling Jason that he was have some problems in convincing Kim to come back to him. Jason told him not to worry that he had a plan in place. After several minutes, Tommy told Jason to tell him what he had meant. It took a little bit but finally Jason told him that he had called Kat and asked her to help. Tommy shook his head and took a seat close to the glass. He knew that Kim knew he was here because he saw her shoulders tense when he walked in. She did it every time. Smiling he leaned back in his chair and watched his niece take her place in line for the vault. Kat was helping the girls with their floor routine. She knew what she was she was doing that's for sure. He watched as each girl did the move she had shown them.

"I didn't know Coach Hart was bringing anyone in for the floor routine. Who is that woman and how is she qualified to coach my Whitney?" Amelia asked out loud. Tommy tried not to make eye contact but he didn't want her bad mouthing Kat. She was one of the best in the world.

"Her name is Katherine Hilliard and she is with the London Dance Company." He said as all the parents stared at him.

"And how do you know this? I go watch the London Dance Company every year and I have never seen her." Amelia replied looking smug. Tommy sighed. He knew that he should've just kept his mouth shut because now he was mad. Kat was a great dancer.

"You fly to London every year?" He asked crossing his arms tight across his chest.

"No, of I do not. They are on tour every year and they come here." She said looking at him.

"Oh the touring London Dance Company, Kat is not a part of them. She dances with the main company in England." Tommy stated with a smile.

"Oh she's not good enough to travel, that's a shame." Amelia said before turning away from him. Letting out a sigh, he turned away from her. Kat had explained to everyone that normally the older dancers travel before retiring. They all wanted the chance to showcase their talent before stepping out of the spotlight.

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"Kim, these girls are ready for Nationals." Kat whispered as practice drew to a close.

"I know but I am still nervous." Kim whispered back as she dismissed for the day. All the girls clapped before going to the locker room.

"Don't worry you will do fine." Kat stated as the parents left their section so that they could wait for their girls near the locker room.

"Katherine Hilliard, you didn't tell me that you were coming back to town." Tommy stated behind them. Spinning around Kim and Kat watched Tommy walked closer to them.

"I wanted to surprise you." She said as she flew into his arms. Kim just stared. Were they closer than she thought? Wasn't it just last week that they had teased each other and shared that kiss? Now the minute that Kat is back he turns to her, go figure.

"Kaylie will be happy to see you. She asked me the other day when you were coming back." He said smiling at her. He caught Kim out of the corner of his eye and knew that Jason's plan just might work. She had always been jealous of him with other girls but most of the time he never reacted to those girls. He had always been only aware of Kim. She had to know that because compared to anyone else, she was the light of his world.

"Isn't great that Kat is back?" Kim asked as the blonde finally backed away from Tommy.

"Yea it is." Tommy said not taking his eyes off of Kat.

"Aunt Kat?" Kaylie asked walking toward them. She was still dressed in her leo since she still had to practice with Kim.

"Kaylie, why are you not dressed?" Tommy asked.

"I still have practice." She replied with a look that said he should know that.

"Uh, well Kaylie you can cut out early today." Kim stated as Tommy and Kat nodded. Kaylie looked shocked. She didn't know what to say.

"Nationals are this weekend." Kaylie protested.

"Its fine. You are right on track." Kim stated.

"Okay just give me a few minutes to change then." Kaylie said before running back to the locker room.

"Tommy, I haven't had any of your famous pizza in a long time." Kat said as he smiled and nodded.

"Tommy has a famous pizza?" Kim asked Kaylie ran out of the locker room.

"You ready to go?" Tommy asked as Kaylie nodded. "Okay then let's go. Kat wants some pizza." He said as Kaylie smiled.

"Bye Kim." Kat said.

"See you tomorrow Coach." Kaylie said as she followed Kat and Tommy out. Kim just stood there watching them leave.

"Who was that woman?" Sam asked coming up behind her.

"Oh that's Katherine Hilliard. She is an old friend from high school." Kim stated as she started picking up some of the trash left by the girls. Some days were great with no trash and some days were just bad. Today seemed to fall more toward one of the good days.

"It looks like she was close to Tommy as well." He said as Kim nodded. They did seem closer than she had ever seen them. Were they talking again? Why was she even interested because she had turned Tommy down? It just seemed that he had moved on very fast. "Scarlett is doing great and she has really picked her weight up." He commented as Kim turned to face him.

"Really?" She asked as he nodded. "I'm glad. I will weigh her tomorrow and see where she is at and then decide rather or not she can compete." Kim stated as Sam nodded.

"Sounds great." He commented. "Kim?" He asked as she looked up at him.

"Yea?" She asked.

"Would you like to get something to eat?" He asked.

"What did you have in mind?" She asked with a smile. Tommy had to have been wrong about Sam being in love with her. He was her friend just like he had always been.

"Pizza sound good?" He asked as she nodded.

"Just let me change then we can go." She said as he nodded. Sam watched Kim hit the locker room. Tommy had made a mistake in picking the blonde over Kim and Sam wanted to capitalize on it.

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"Tommy, what are you doing here?" Hayley asked as he, Kat, and Kaylie found a seat.

"Kat wanted some of my famous pizza." He replied as Hayley laughed.

"You and your famous pizza, Kat I am going to let you in on a secret, he can't cook a thing." Hayley said as Kat laughed.

"Oh I know." She commented as Tommy grinned. Kaylie just looked between them and tried not to growl. She didn't like what she was seeing between her Uncle and Katherine. She was trying to get Kim and Uncle Tommy together and having Kat show up threw a wrench into the mix.

"So I guess that you all want pizza?" Hayley asked as all three nodded. "Coming right up." Hayley said before walking away.

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"Kim where are you taking me?" Sam asked as they left Angel Grove.

"Don't worry; I know the perfect place for pizza." She said with a smile. "Its in Reefside." She stated.

"Reefside?" He asked looking over at her while she drove.

"Yea, I ate there one day after leaving the gym." She stated not getting into the fact that she had gone to confront Tommy about that kiss in the gym. On her way home she had seen a place that reminded her of the Youth Center that she had to stop and see it. Pulling into the Cybercafé, she had discovered that it was just like the Youth Center only that instead of workout equipment there were computers everywhere. She had found one open table and ordered a slice of pizza. It had been the best she had ever eaten. Ironically it had been called Tommy's favorite. She thought that it was weird but then the owner might know a different Tommy that loved pizza too. It was possible since Tommy was a popular name.

"I hope that this pizza is as good as Pete's." He said. Pete's was a local pizza joint that Sam loved.

"Oh I think it is and we are here." She said turning into the parking lot. She watched as Sam got out. He didn't come around to her side to help her out. It wasn't a date but for some reason she still expected him to open her door for her. Tommy always did and it did spoil her in some ways. Sighing she opened the door and walked over to him. He smiled and led the way in.

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Kat and Tommy were talking about how the plan was working while Kaylie was in the bathroom. They both agreed that Kim was jealous and should be running to Tommy in no time. Hearing the bell above the door had Kat turning to see who it was. She knew that she really didn't know anyone but she still wanted to look at the people coming in. She muttered a curse under her breath when she saw that it was Kimberly with another man coming in.

"I think that we might have made a mistake." She said.

"What?" Tommy asked as she pointed toward the door. Turning slightly he looked where she was pointing and stared. Kim was here with Sam. He was so going to kill Jason.

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"Kim this place looks great." Sam said as Kim nodded. She knew that he would like it. Scanning the room, she tried to find an empty table when she spotted Kat and Tommy. What were they doing here and where was Kaylie? Were they out on a date?

"I think I see an empty table." She stated as she headed toward Tommy. She was angry and wanted him to know it. How could he play her like that and think to get away with it? "Oh Tommy, Kat, I didn't know that you would be here. I thought that Tommy was cooking for you." Kim stated sweetly as she stood next to their table. Sam was right at her side.

"Tommy cook? Are you serious?" Hayley asked as she served them their pizza. "He would burn his house down." She said winking at Tommy which made Kim see red. Was ever woman determined to flirt with him? She didn't know if she could deal with that.

"Coach? What are you doing here?" Kaylie asked as she neared the table.

"For the pizza." Kim comment with a smile for her.

"Coach? Oh you must be Kimberly then. I'm Hayley, the one who called for Kaylie." She said sticking her hand out. Kim shook it while smiling. If Hayley was the one that called that meant that she was closer to Tommy than she had first thought.

"It is so nice to meet you." Kim said smiling back at Hayley. Kat sat back and smiled. This was going to be some dinner with Kim and Tommy both being jealous over each other.

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"I'm sorry for dragging you into this." Tommy said dropping Kat off at her hotel later that night.

"No, I think that I enjoyed that more than the last movie I saw." Kat laughed as Tommy sighed. This was not going the way he wanted it.

"Its not funny but thank you for going along with Jason's crazy plan." He said as Kat nodded.

"Don't worry everything is going great. Now go get some sleep." She said before leaning up and kissing his cheek. Backing away she watched him leave and sighed. How could Kim resist that man when he turned his full attention on her was beyond Kat.

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"You were right, the pizza was great." Sam said as Kim pulled up at the gym. Since they had ridden together, she had to take him back to his car which was still at the gym.

"I'm glad that you liked it and thanks for going with me." She said as he nodded and then before she knew it, he grabbed her head and kissed her. Pulling back her eyes were wide. "Why did you do that?" She asked leaning even further back from him.

"I thought that that was the correct way to end a date." He said as she just stared at him.

"This was not a date. We work together and you are my friend." She said.

"Kim you are more than just a friend. Do you not know how I feel about you?" He asked as she shook her head no. "Kim, I have been with you through everything and stood by your side. How could you not know that I love you?" He asked shocking her even further. Tommy had been right but she didn't know how she could've missed that.

"Sam, I have only thought of you as a good friend. You must know that." She said as he shook his head in denial.

"No, I can't believe that. You are just too wrapped up in that Tommy guy. Can't you see that he is with someone else?" He asked taking her hands in his.

"He's not with her and I'm not wrapped up in Tommy." She stated before thinking.

"You can't even see it, he is not into you. Why else would he take that blonde to dinner and not you? She jumped into his arms the moment she saw him and he didn't push her away. Tell me if that is the reaction to old friends." He commented.

"Well I jump into Jason and Rocky's arms sometimes when I see them so I don't see anything wrong with that." She replied pulling her hands away from his.

"Kimberly, I want you to give us a chance." He pleaded as she shook her head no.

"No, that would be wrong to you since there is another guy. I can't do that to you or to him." She said thinking of Tommy. It would hurt him if she tried anything with Sam considering that she had slept with Tommy not too long ago.

"You will be sorry." He muttered as she looked at him.

"I think that you need to leave right now. I am just going to write this off as a one-off. Get some sleep." She said as Sam opened the door.

"We are not finished." He stated before getting out. What had she done? Gone was their easy friendship that she had depended on for so long and in its place was something that she didn't want. Putting the car in reverse, she got out of the parking lot and made her way home. She didn't know what she was going to do about Sam but something had to be done.

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Walking into the gym the next afternoon, Tommy knew that something was wrong with Kim. Instead of going to the parent's section, he turned and headed towards Kim.

"What's wrong?" He whispered as she turned to look at him.

"Let's go to my office." She suggested as he nodded. Leading the way, Kim made her way up the stairs. Tommy didn't know what had happened but apparently it was something big.

"Okay so tell me." He said sitting down on her couch.

"Sam is in love with me." She stated without pause. "I know you told me but I didn't believe it and now he wants me to give him a chance." She said sitting down beside him on the couch.

"Oh Kim, I'm sorry. Did he try anything?" He asked thinking that if he did then he was dead man.

"Just kissed me but Tommy it was like he didn't believe that I didn't love him. He told me that I would be sorry." She said as Tommy took her hands in his.

"He's dead." Tommy muttered as Kim shook her head no. "But Kim, he threatened you." He stated.

"Its fine. I think that he was just shocked that I didn't see us as anything more than friends. I mean I can't believe that he would ruin our friendship." She cried as Tommy gathered her close to him.

"I'm sorry." He said rubbing her back. "Also I am not back with Kat." He stated thinking that now was time to clear the air.

"What?" She asked leaning back to look him in the eye.

"Jason thought that it would be a good idea to make you jealous and see that you wanted to be with me." He stated.

"Jason is dead." Kim said before pulling Tommy's head to her. She brushed his lips with hers before he pulled her closer and kissed her. Pulling back Kim was breathing hard. Tommy still had it.

"You know that he just wanted to see us happy." He said as Kim nodded.

"I know but he is still dead." She sighed before kissing him again.

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Okay what did everyone think? Please let me know. The next chapter should be out soon. Also thanks to several of the reviewers for suggesting Kim be just a little jealous. Next chapter is Nationals!


	10. Tires

A/N: I don't own aything but the people that are mine. Anyway I hope that you like this chapter.

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"Okay Scarlett let's see how you are doing." Kim stated as the girl nodded. She had asked Scarlett to come in early so that none of the other girls found out about Scarlett's problem. Kim knew that the others could be cruel and she hoped that her girls were different but she didn't want to chance it. Kim stood back as Scarlett stepped in the scale with her eyes closed. She knew that feeling well but she also knew the joy of jumping over that hurdle. She now could step on a scale with no fear. Stepping closer Kim read the number and smile.

"What is it?" She asked as Kim looked up. Scarlett still had her eyes closed.

"Why don't you open your eyes and see." Kim stated as Scarlett did just that.

"Oh my, I did it!" Scarlett screamed as she jumped into Kim's arms.

"Yes you did, now you will still need to work at it but I think that you've earned your place on the team." Kim said as Scarlett grinned from ear to ear.

"I'm competing?" She asked as Kim nodded. "Oh thank you and I promise no more diets unless they are approved by you." She said before taking off for the floor. Kim smiled and walked over so that she could look out over the entire gym. It was still early so no one was here yet but her and Scarlett. Nationals were in two days and she just didn't know if she was ready yet. She got like this every year even though she knew her girls could do it. They had trained hard for it. There was just some part of her that pictured herself going through the moves with the girls. Hearing the door open, she was bought out of her daydreams. She saw that it was Kaylie and thought of her Uncle. Yesterday was a turning point in their relationship and she knew that. In her anguish she turned to him just like she always did.

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Kaylie walked into the gym and noticed Kim up in her office. She wished that her uncle would just ask her coach out. She liked Katherine but not as a girlfriend or wife to him. She had to think of some way to get them back together. This weekend was Nationals so maybe something would come up then. It just had too. They needed to be back together because she knew that the love that they shared in high school had to be more than just teenage love. The look in their eyes in that picture told a story that it was more. It was a love that should've lasted a lifetime. Something had gotten in the way and she wanted to know what it was. Shaking her head she made her way to the locker room and changed. She was nervous about this weekend but she was ready to get it over with.

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"Okay everyone hand in your assignments." Tommy said as the students got settled. Trying not to smile, he thought about yesterday. He and Kim had finally settled a few things but still had to discuss more. She had told him that she wanted to wait until after Nationals to talk about anything he wanted and he agreed. He at least had a deadline. Snapping out of it, he took of the papers and got down to business. It was going to be a long day but at least he was rested. After talking to Kim, he had gone home and slept like a baby. It had felt like everything was right again in his life.

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"Tuck!" Kim yelled as Whitney stumbled and fell off the beam. Kim rushed to her side to make sure that she was okay. "Are you okay?" She asked kneeling down beside her.

"I'm okay, my foot just slipped." Whitney said as she sat up. Kim nodded and backed up so that the girl could stand up.

"Remember to tuck on that last pass so that your foot doesn't touch the beam there." Kim said as Whitney nodded. "It will keep you from falling." Kim stated with a smile. Backing up she watched Whitney get back up on the beam and try that pass again. This time though she didn't fall because she did the tuck as Kim suggested. Clapping Kim went to stand next to Karen once more.

"You were right, the tuck is much better." Karen stated as Kim nodded.

"It was a simple fix that I wanted her to try before reworking the entire routine days before Nationals." Kim replied.

"Well it worked." Karen said before Kim turned and walked over to the floor mat. She watched as Scarlett completed one of her first passes. It looked good and better than it had been a few weeks ago. It just showed that Scarlett had been weaker while she was trying to fly higher. Dieting had done more damage than good and it was just a good thing that Kim had caught it in time. Scarlett finally finished as Kim smiled. The routine was good and should score Scarlett top points at Nationals. Twenty girls would be chosen at Nationals but only a few would compete at the different competitions around the World. Rumors of Bela Karolyi seeking a National Coach had been flying around. There was speculation of the Coach from Denver getting it this year which meant that the National practice would be there unless the National Champion came from another gym. Looking at her girls, she knew that any one of them could take that title. Turning she walked over to the uneven bars. All the girls were having trouble on them today but maybe it was just nerves. Looking around the bars, she saw Kaylie lining up for the vault. Walking over there she smiled as Kaylie took off running. Turning a perfect cart wheel, Kim watched as Kaylie touched the vault with her hands and then twisted before landing. Standing up straight, Kim smiled. Kaylie was getting better on the vault and if she could do what she just did at Nationals then Kaylie just might be National Champion. Any of her girls could be National Champion.

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Hours later Kim was exhausted as she watched the girls leave one by one. It had been a long day with watching everyone's routines and changing little things. She had done more flipping in the last few hours than she had in a long time. She had wanted to show the girls that the moves were possible and that if someone older than them could do them then they could too. Stretching out, Kim made her up to her office. Tonight she was going to soak in her huge tub to ease all the soreness. She knew that other coaches didn't do nearly half of what she did but then again most of the other coaches were guys. They couldn't do the girl moves on a beam or uneven bars like a girl could. Groaning she sat down at her desk and leaned back. This was almost as good as the tub in that she was sitting down. Closing her eyes she pictured her routine that had won her gold. The girls, she thought were better. She couldn't wait to see them perform.

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Tommy walked into the gym and noticed that everyone was pretty much gone. Kim must have let practice out early. Kaylie was working on her vault with Karen. Looking around, Tommy didn't see Kim. "She must be up in her office." He muttered to himself. Taking the stairs two at a time, he finally saw her at her desk with her eyes closed. She looked worn out which meant that she had probably worked out with the girls and shown them different moves. He had seen her over the past few weeks do that when one of the girls thought that they couldn't do a move. Kim would just walk over and perform the move like it was nothing. He knew that for her to be able to do that meant that she still worked out on each and every move. She was dedicated to the gym and these girls he knew. Coming up behind her with the silence of a cat, he began rubbing her shoulders. He heard her groan and knew that he had been right.

"Tommy, you know that you are the best." She stated without opening her eyes.

"I'm not even going to ask how you knew it was me." He stated closed to her ear. Opening her eyes she smiled as he eased back.

"First off you smell the same every day and by the way I love that cologne and second I know those hands anywhere." She said as he smiled. "I mean that you have giving me massages before when I had a tough day." She said looking over at him. He was now leaning against the edge of her desk with his ankles crossed.

"I know what you meant; I just like giving you a hard time." He commented.

Sighing she nodded. "I know you do." She said standing up.

"You know that you don't have to show the girls all the moves. You do have other gymnasts down there that can do that just as well." He said watching her move around her office.

"Oh I know it's just that if they see me do it then that means that they should be able to do it since they work out every day." She said picking up her clipboard from the table. She had her notes ready for Nationals on each girl.

"Kim, they should be thinking wow, my coach is in great shape to still be able to throw her body in the air like that." He said as she laughed.

"Oh yea what about what Connor, Kira, Ethan, and Trent? What did they think about their teacher battling alongside of them and keeping up?" She asked turning to face him.

"Jason tell you?" He asked.

"Oh yea, he made sure to tell me after the fact which was a good thing considering I learned that you had been frozen in amber then invisible before slipping into a coma and being admitted to the hospital." She said turning serious.

"All in a day's work." He replied trying to play it off.

"Yea right, Tommy you know that you could have just stayed back at the lab and coached them from there." She stated.

"Just like you coach from the sidelines." He fired back with a smile.

"Touché." She replied. "But at least I don't have a monster firing back at me." She said as they both laughed.

"What monster?" Kaylie asked as they both jumped at the sound of her voice. Had she heard them talking about Tommy battling?

"Kaylie shouldn't you be practicing?" Tommy asked trying to gauge just what she heard. How could he be that stupid and talk about that with other people around?

"I finished like ten minutes ago. So I started searching for you when I noticed the Jeep in the parking lot. This was the last place that you could be since I didn't see you anywhere else." She replied as he nodded. She couldn't have heard much then. He knew that she had had to change then actually go to the parking lot before searching the gym.

"Are you ready?" He asked not answering her first question.

"Yea." She replied looking from him to Kim with questions in her eyes.

"Okay, Kim what time do you need me here tomorrow?" He asked. He had offered to ride with her on the bus with the girls since he had some leave built up at school.

"The bus leaves at ten so please be here before then." She said as he nodded.

"Okay I will have a good night." He said before turning away from her.

"Bye Coach." Kaylie said before following Tommy out.

"Bye guys, see you tomorrow." Kim called out. Sighing she grabbed her stuff and made her way out. She turned off lights as she went and finally locked up the main doors before she walked out to her car. Unlocking it she threw her bags in before noticing that her front tire was flat. "What?" She stated as she pulled out her phone. She knew how to change a tire but she didn't want to do it alone in the back of the parking lot.

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Tommy fumbled in his pocket for his phone. "Hello." He said as he stopped at the red light.

"_Tommy, I have a flat tire on my car and I don't want to change it by myself."_ Kim stated as Tommy smiled. She had called him first and that fact just pleased him to no end. It was a good thing that he had given her his cell number last week for Kaylie's file.

"I'm on my way." He said as Kaylie look over at him.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"Kim has a flat tire and she doesn't want to change it by herself." He replied.

"She can change a tire?" Kaylie asked thinking that her coach could do just about anything.

"Yea, Jason and I taught the girls how to just in case they ever needed too and none of us were around." He stated as she nodded. When she actually started driving then she make him teach her.

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"Kim, that tire had been slashed." Tommy said as Jason grunted. He had stopped by to talk to her because he thought that she was still at practice. Walking around back he saw her there with her trunk open and the spare tire sitting to the side.

"You don't think that I run something over that could've done that damage?" Kim asked.

"Unless it was a knife standing straight up then yea you ran something over." Jason commented.

"Okay, okay I get it. I can get a new one when I get back from Nationals." She said rubbing her face.

"You're not staying by yourself tonight." Tommy stated as Jason looked over at him. He totally agreed with him but he had a feeling that Tommy knew something that he wasn't telling.

"I'm not staying with you." She said. "You have way too many people in your house as it is." She added.

"No, I'm staying with you." Tommy replied as Kim just stared at him.

"I didn't invite you." She said crossing her arms.

"Maybe not but you do have a spare bed that is calling my name." He stated.

"What about Kaylie?" She asked looking at his niece who was leaning against the Jeep.

"Oh my parents are home so I can stay at Uncle Tommy's house." She replied sweetly. Kim sighed and knew that she had been beat. Kaylie should have been her ally but had just added to Tommy's fight.

"Okay fine but you need to at least drop her off and grab you clothes because you won't have time in the morning." Kim stated as he nodded.

"You go do that and I will get Kim's tire on." Jason said as they nodded. Tommy and Kaylie jumped in the Jeep and pulled away seconds later leaving Kim and Jason alone. "So tell me, why is lover boy staying with you? You didn't even get him a proper fight." Jason stated as he rolled the spare over to the front axle.

"Uh well Sam sort of threatened me two nights ago." Kim muttered.

"What? Why am I just now hearing about this? I knew that guy was bad news and I tried to tell you that but you wouldn't listen. You claimed that he was a friend." Jason yelled as she nodded.

"It just happened after he kissed me. I told him that I only saw him as a friend but he told me that I was just too wrapped up in Tommy to even know my real feelings for him. Don't worry though he has kept his distance and I assume that he is ashamed of how he acted." She said watching Jason work. She could've done the job but it would've taken her longer than it would Jason.

"Kim, I am sure that he is not ashamed and not done with you. If he did this then he is dangerous. I want you to be extra careful around him and don't be alone with him." He said in calmer tones. It was probably because he was taking all of his anger out on her poor spare tire.

"I will be careful but while we are talking, why did you bring Kat here?" She asked as he paused. He was busted and he knew it.

"Uh well, oh crap! Trini said that you would be mad." He stated tightened her lug nuts.

"I am mad. I can handle my own love life without any help from the peanut gallery." She stated. "It did work though." She muttered.

"What was that? It worked?" He asked looking up at her with a smile on his face.

"Yes, it worked." She said smiling back at him.

"So?" He asked lowering the jack so that he could finish up.

"So nothing. We will talk after Nationals." She said putting the jack back in the trunk. "Are you and Trini coming this weekend?" She asked coming back around the car.

"Way to change the subject but yea we are coming. Rocky called and said that he and Aisha would be there a little later. Adam and Tanya won't be there until the day after." He said as she nodded.

"Billy said that he would be there but he didn't know what time since he was waiting on his girlfriend's schedule." Kim commented.

"Oh yea I can't wait to meet the mystery woman. Tommy knows her." Jason said as he finished.

"Really? Anyway thanks for fixing my tire." She said putting the four-way in the trunk as well. Looking at the tire that was on the ground beside her car, she knew that it won't fit in the trunk.

"Why don't I take the tire and get it fixed? It won't take me long and I can get it back on your car in the morning." He said as she nodded.

"Your uncle won't mind?" She asked because she knew that Jason would take the tire to his uncle's shop.

"You know that he would be insulted if you took it anywhere else. I mean he learned how to work on Beetles because you had one." He said picking the tire up and carrying it to the bed of his truck.

"Thanks and tell him that I will be by to pay when I get back from Nationals." She said as he nodded.

"Drive slowly, Kim, that donut won't go that fast." He yelled as she nodded. Getting into her car she fired it up and pulled away and watched as Jason followed her to her house. As she pulled into the driveway she saw that Tommy was already here. He must've had his bags packed or he just threw clothes in whatever bag he found.

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"Are you sure?" Kim asked watching Tommy pull back the covers on her tiny spare bed. It was a little funny to see him holding hot pink sheets.

"Yea its fine." He said looking up at her. She was standing there in just a t-shirt and socks. The shirt came to mid-thigh but that didn't help him. He could still picture what she looked like underneath that shirt.

"Tommy, that's the bed that I had in Florida." She stated leaning against the door.

"So?" He asked still holding the flat sheet.

"I fit just fine but you and your six foot self will not." She stated with a sigh.

"It will be fine." He claimed as she shook her head no.

"Oh its going to be fine when your feet hang over the foot board?" She asked with a smile. She could almost picture him sleeping in that bed. "I don't think so." She muttered.

"What do you suggest? Taking your bed?" He asked standing up to his full height.

"Yea." She said as he started smiling. "But me taking this bed." She clarified. She didn't want him to get the wrong idea.

"Spoilsport but I can't kick you out of you bed." He said. "I will just take this one." He stated pointing to the bed.

"You're not kicking me out of my bed, I am offering it." She said straightening up.

"But you're going to sleep here?" He asked as she nodded. "Not good enough, Kim."

"Tommy, if we share a bed neither one of us will get much sleep and I need all the sleep I can get." She stated as he shook his head. "I have to be on my A-game for Nationals."

"What if I promise to not touch you?" He asked walking over to her with a smile on his face.

"Not good enough, you know that that won't happen." She said as he leaned down and kissed her. She threw her arms around his neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her closer to him. "We need to sleep." She protested as he picked her up in his arms without releasing her lips. He kissed her while taking her to her bedroom down the hall. He flipped off lights as he went without releasing Kim. Kicking the door closed behind him and walking over to the bed, he managed to pull back the covers and laid her down. Pulling back from her he smiled. This was exactly where he wanted her.

"Sleep." He commanded as he tried to stand. He knew that she did need her sleep and he intended for her to get it. He knew that he could keep his promise not to touch her but it would be a strain and there was only so much he could take.

"No stay with me." She said as he nodded. He didn't want to deny her and she had asked. Toeing off his shoes, he pulled his shirt over his head and threw it on the nearby chair. Smiling he took off his jeans and slid into bed next to her. She smiled and turned off the lamp before settling in his arms. Tommy smiled as he pulled her just a little closer before closing his eyes and going to sleep.

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"Everyone ready?" Kim asked as all the girls screamed yes. She smiled and took her seat next to Tommy as the bus driver closed the doors. The parents would follow the bus down. Jason and Trini were in the line with the parents. Kat had decided to ride down with them so that she didn't have to drive the rental car that far. Kim was nervous because now was the time for the girls. Sighing she felt Tommy take her hand in his. He was just sitting there giving her strength without speaking a word. Looking at him she smiled. His quiet strength was there for her to lean on and she loved that. He had kept his promise to her last night and let her sleep. Walking up this morning was a totally different experience than the last time they had slept together. It was peaceful and relaxing. She also loved that he had let her sleep a little while longer while he brought her breakfast in bed and woke her with a kiss. Smiling she remembered opening her eyes and him laughing about a kiss waking his sleeping beauty. She couldn't wait until Nationals were over because she intended to go on a date with the man that Tommy had become.

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Kaylie smiled as the bus stopped right in front of the gymnastic center. This was it, Nationals. She couldn't wait to take her place in the rotation and compete on the National level. This was her time to shine and she was determined to compete and win.

"Okay ladies; make sure that you have everything." Kim said as they all got up and cheered.

"Are you ready?" Tommy whispered in her ear as she nodded. She was ready for them to do their best and that's all she would ask of them. They would put more pressure on themselves than she ever could.

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"_Ladies and Gentleman welcome to the US National Championship of Artistic Gymnastics. We have gyms from all across the country represented here today along several of the nation's top coaches. Among these is American favorite Kimberly Hart who coached the 2004 Olympic team to their Team Gold medal."_ The announcer said as Tommy smiled. He was happy that they had mentioned Kim. She wasn't here to hear it but it was still awesome for her. Looking out over the gym, he started to get nervous and he wasn't competing. The stadium was filled was which not something that he had suspected. He didn't realize that gymnastics was this big of a sport. Making his way over to his seats, he found Zack, Angela, Jason, Trini, Kat, Adam, Tanya, Billy, Hayley, Rocky, and Aisha all sitting in his section.

"How in the world did you get seats next to me?" He asked taking his seat at the end.

"Man, I have connections." Zack claimed as everyone laughed.

"Yea I know Kim didn't get you these seats so where did you get them?" Tommy asked with a smile.

"I don't think that you want to know." Angela commented as everyone laughed again.

"Probably not since its Zack." Tommy muttered as Angela nodded.

"How is Kim?" Kat asked leaning over everyone so that Tommy could hear her.

"Good just nervous for the girls." He said as the announcer started talking again.

"_Now if everyone will stand for the National Anthem." _The announcer said as everyone came to their feet and watched the American flag as it was raised from behind the press box and The Star Spangled Banner played over the speakers. The crowd showed their respect by placing their right hand over their heart and the men removed their hats if they were wearing one.

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Kim stood with her hand over her heart as The Star Spangled Banner played. It was one of her favorites since she had gotten to hear it at the Olympics several times as she had gotten each of her Gold Medals. She knew that it would always hold a special place in her heart as it would in every Olympic athlete. It was right up there with being a Power Ranger. Athletes did their best so that they could hear that song played in front of all the nations attending the Olympics. It told everyone that you were the best for that moment in time. As the song ended she smiled looking back at her girls. They were ready for this even if she wasn't. If she had been competing, she knew that her nerves would not even be around because she went into a bubble every time. It was probably what her girls were doing to try to control something as they ran through their routines in their heads. She heard the announcer come back on and start announcing the gyms. It would only be a few more minutes then they would be taking their place around the huge blue competition mat and begin.

"_Now from Pink Crane Gymnastics, please welcome Coach Kimberly Hart and her girls."_ The announcer said as Kim started walking out from the hallway off of the locker rooms to the mat. She led her girls around the left side and found their seats. She waved as did all the girls behind her before stopping in front of their seats. It was time. Their first event was to be vault. Today was the first round and would decide who got All-Around as individuals and teams. The following day the girls would start all over as they competed for their individual medals.

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Okay so what did everyone think? Please let me know. I hope that everyone enjoyed this chapter. Anyway the next one should be out soon.


	11. All Around Competition

A/N: Okay I am so sorry that this is late but with the holidays and my vacation there just wasn't time to finish it. Anyway I hope that everyone likes this chapter.

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Kim took a breath as Whitney took her place at the end of the vault. Since she was ranked number 1 she would start the day off. Kim smiled as Whitney raised her arms and smiled to the judges. They nodded as she lowered her arms and composed herself. Kim counted to three as Whitney took off running. Performing a round-off onto the springboard, Whitney touched the board before finishing the move with turn in the layout position. Kim smiled as her feet touched the mat and she stood up without a step back. It was perfect way to start the day off. She had come to win. The score posted and Kim yelled as the crowd went wild. A 9.6 was a great score especially a yurchenko which was one of the more difficult moves on the vault. It was the same one that Mary Lou Retton performed at the 84 Olympics that earned her the perfect 10 and Gold All-Around. Taking her place again, Whitney smiled and took a breath before her next vault. Kim knew that she would take her second vault because she could improve on that score. It would be hard but Kim knew that she could do it. Whitney took off running once again and did the exact same move and landed it perfectly again. Kim knew that this score should be better because Whitney had lined up a little better than the last time. Whitney walked down to join the team as her scores were posted. This time Whitney screamed when she saw a 9.7 on the screen.

"Way to start the match." Kim said hugging the girl close. She knew that her girls had come to compete.

"Thanks." Whitney said as Scarlett got up to take her turn on the vault. Kim looked around and saw that other gymnasts were working through their routines on the different apparatuses. The other girls were performing well and landing their moves with ease. Everyone had come to perform today. Looking back at Scarlett, she watched as she took off running toward the vault. Her vault would be different than Whitney's in that she would not do a round-off onto the springboard, instead she cart wheeled onto to it before flipping to touch the vault with her hands then continued her flip in the tuck position before landing on her feet. She took a slight step back but not too much as to hurt her score very much. It was a good vault just not as difficult as Whitney's. Scarlett took her place and waited for her scores. Kim clapped when she saw that Scarlett had gotten a 9.2. It was really good for the move and she did have one more vault to try and better her score.

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"Wow Kim's girls have come to compete." Trini said to Jason as he nodded.

"They have practiced enough." Kelly, Kaylie's mom, said. She and David had made it just as the girls were walking out. Tommy had been worried about them not making it for Kaylie. He knew that his niece loved having him there to watch her but it was her parents that she would love for in the crowd when the time came.

"I don't think they practiced as much as Kim did back in high school. It seemed like all she did was gymnastics." Tommy said as Jason, Zack, Rocky, Billy, and Adam all nodded. Trini, Aisha, Angela, and Kat just smiled. Tanya and Hayley couldn't comment since they didn't know what Kim did in high school. No one commented about the thing that she did more than gymnastics. There was just too many people in crowd for any of them to breathe a word about Power Rangers.

"Oh look Scarlett got a 9.3 on her second vault." Trini stated turning everyone's attention back to the match. Tommy looked over at her with a question in his eyes.

"How did you know her name?" He asked as Trini smiled.

"I have met all the girls but your niece. Every few weeks, I take lunch to the gym for them when they get tired of takeout." She said as he nodded. He didn't know that Kim bought lunch for the girls until he learned of Scarlett's problem. Kim had wanted the girls to eat something without counting calories at least once a day. Tommy knew that Kim was a different kind of coach and he wondered if her coach in Florida did the same with her. Turning back he saw another girl take her place and Tommy remembered that her name was Emily. Kim had five girls with her. Kaylie, Whitney the gyms top gymnast, Scarlett the girl that had the eating problem, and Alex who Kaylie said was quiet. He knew that Alex was good on everything from just by watching her at the gym but she flew under the radar. Looking back at Kim, he knew that Alex was not under the radar with her. She made sure that each girl got her full attention and he knew that's why they loved her as their coach. Tommy watched Emily land her second vault and wait for her scores. The first score had been a 9.1 which was good but not great. The second score was displayed and Tommy groaned. This score was lower at 9.0. Emily had been off center and took a slight step back but she had done her best. Kim had said that the vault was not Emily's strong suit. Alex took her place next and Tommy knew that Kaylie was the only one left and she got the honor of going last since she was the new girl.

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Kim nodded to Alex as she took her place at the end of the vault. Kim heard Kaylie come up beside her.

"Are you ready?" Kim asked without looking down at Kaylie.

"I think so but I am nervous about not doing well." She said as Kim turned to look at her. Kaylie reminded Kim of herself at her first meet.

"You are going to do fine. You have trained for this." She said as Kaylie nodded. "I believe in you." Kim finished as Kaylie smiled.

"Thank you." Kaylie said throwing her arms around Kim. Wrapping her arms around Kaylie, Kim smiled. This is what she loved about coaching. She could impact this child's life by just believing in them. Stepping back, Kim looked back at Alex as she landed her vault perfectly. Alex had been a part of the 2004 Olympic team that Kim had coached to a Team Gold. It was Alex's vault that had sealed the team fate as the Gold Medal winner. The score finally posted as Kim smiled, a 9.8 was awesome but she knew that Alex would take that second vault if only to prove that the first one wasn't a fluke. As she lined back up, Kim smiled. Alex raised her hand and got the nod from the judges before she took off running. Performing a perfect cartwheel before flipping over the vault so that only her hands touched it as she completed her rotation Landing with her feet together, Kim knew that the score had to be higher. It just had to be. The vault was just too pretty not to have earned a higher score.

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Kaylie took her place at the end of the vault as Alex's scores were posted. A 9.9 was almost perfect and Kaylie had to agree. Alex had done her best and it showed. She took a deep breath and waved to the crowd. Looking over at the judges, she got the nod before taking off at a full run toward the vault. She started off the move with a cartwheel before hitting the springboard and flipping over the vault, touched it with her hands and finished in full tuck. She let out a sigh of relief when she stood up without moving her feet. Smiling she raised her arms above her head and looked over at Tommy in the stands. He was one of the reasons that she was here. The other was clapping next to her teammates. Lowering her arms, she made her way back to the end of the mat once more. She had one more vault to complete.

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Tommy sat back down. He had been so happy that Kaylie had landed that vault with ease that he had lost his cool and jumped to his feet. He had looked over at Kim and knew that she had been just as happy as he was. Kaylie had also thrilled him when she looked at him in the crowd. It was just like Kim when he watched her in Angel Grove.

"Tommy, did you see the score?" Trini asked him as he looked back. He was smiling even more now. Kaylie's score was 9.5. It was a great place to start her first competition at. Watching her once again take her place, he felt his nerves tighten. It was like watching Kim all over again but this time at least he knew that his niece hadn't just faced a monster before taking her place in front of the vault. Taking a breath, he watched her complete the exact same move and land it just as before.

"Okay so where will they go now?" Kat asked looking at everyone.

"Not sure but I bet the beam will be last." Jason commented as Billy, Adam, and Zack all nodded.

"Why do you say that?" Kelly asked.

"Because it was Kim's favorite and the one that she dominated when she competed." Tommy answered without looking over at her. He was waiting for Kaylie's score and didn't want to take his eyes away from the score board. After what seemed like forever, they finally showed her score and Tommy once again jumped to his feet. Kaylie had just scored a 9.7.

"Wow, she just upped her score by two tenths of a point." Tanya stated as everyone nodded. Tommy looked at his niece and smiled before moving to Kim. She looked beautiful and so happy. He knew that she loved her girls' scores on the vault but also that they were doing their best.

"Does she remind you of anyone?" Rocky asked as everyone nodded before laughing. Tommy looked at them and just shook his head.

"She is somewhat like Kim but they are two different people." He reminded everyone.

"She reminds us of you." Rocky said as everyone nodded again.

"What? Why does she remind you of me?" He asked as Kim and the girls moved to the uneven bars.

"Because she is performing for Kim and giving it her all just like you did every time you faced an opponent." Jason said trying to hint about his time as a ranger with Kim. They knew that they couldn't outright say it with thousands of people around them but Tommy got the point. He didn't know about his niece being like him.

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"_And with that Ladies and Gentleman, our first round is completed. The teams looked poise and ready for their next events. As the scores stands, Pink Crane Gymnastics is in the lead. Coach Hart is once again showing she knows how to train her girls."_

"Okay ladies our next event is uneven bars. I want you to relax and don't worry about it." Kim said as the girls nodded and sat on the bench next to the bars. Kim looked out over the gym and wondered why the other gyms had bought so many girls. Normally you only bought four to five girls but this year the National Committee had only allowed four gyms to compete. They wanted one from each part of the country so several gyms got together and pick their top girls and sent them under one gym. She hadn't gotten a call but everyone knew that she had four great girls that would be hard to beat. It was a surprise that she had shown up with five that were awesome. Looking back at her girls, Kim smiled. They were really showing everyone that they were stars.

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Tommy groaned as Kaylie landed her dismount from the bars with a step back. Whitney, Emily, and now Kaylie had performed their routine but landed a little unsteady and each had to take that step back. Scarlett took her place as Tommy shifted in his seat again. Whitney had scored 9.3. Emily had scored a 9.4 while Kaylie had scored 9.2.

"Tommy, will you please settled down. You act as if Kim is out there performing." Trini whispered as she took ahold of his hand.

"Sorry, I am just nervous." He said as she nodded.

"I know but you are squirming way too much." She said letting go of his hand. He nodded but turning back at the competition. Scarlett was about to dismount and he wanted her to land it perfectly if only for Kim's sake.

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Kim let out the breath she had been holding once Scarlett held her place steady. Thank goodness she didn't take a step-back and her score was good at 9.5. Now it was Alex's turn and Kim had to wonder if she would baulk as Whitney did. She had that dismount landed until the last second. Kim knew that the dismount was always hard but they had practiced that over and over. Crossing her arms across her chest, Kim watched as Alex took a breath before using the springboard to get onto the high bar. Flipping and turning, Kim smiled as Alex sailed through her routine. Now came the dismount, Kim watched as Alex let go of the bar and flipped through the air. Tensing Kim watched as Alex stuck the landing and yelled.

"Great job, Alex! A 9.6 is great." Kim said as she came over to her.

"Thanks Coach." Alex said as Kim smiled.

"Okay next is the floor and I want everyone to push everything out of your mind and just focused on that." Kim said as the girls nodded as they grabbed their bags. Kim looked out at the crowd and tried to find Tommy. She could feel him watching her and it made her smile.

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"Tommy do you need anything?" Kat asked leaning toward him.

"Like what?" He asked not understanding.

"Food? Drink? Rocky needs to grab something to eat." She said as Rocky nodded.

"That's not something new and no I don't need anything. Kaylie is about to perform." He said as Kat nodded. She, Rocky, Adam, and Tanya got up and headed towards the food stand. Tommy turned back to the floor and watched Kaylie stand up and walked over to the edge of the mat. She paused before raising her hand and getting the nod from the judges. Tommy was nervous for her because he knew that floor was her hardest thing. She said that she always messed up on her second pass because it had a double layout to end it.

"She will be fine." Trini said as she grabbed his hand in hers.

"I know it's just hard for her." He said as she nodded. Jason smiled at his wife. She could read Tommy almost as well as Kim could. He wasn't jealous though because it made him love Trini all the more. Shifting a little he turned back to watch Kaylie start her routine as the music started.

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Kim smiled as Kaylie hit the first pass with no problem before turning and flipping back to start the second pass. Kaylie looked great as she flipped across the mat to hit her double layout with perfect timing. Kim held back a smile though because Kaylie still had two more passes to complete. As she jumped and twisted in the center of the mat, Kim held her breath. It lasted just a minute more as Kaylie hit the last pass with a double tuck. It was beautiful from start to finish. Kim grabbed Kaylie as soon as she got near to hug her close.

"Great job, Kaylie. It was beautiful." She said as Kaylie smiled.

"Thanks Coach." She said turning back to see what her score was.

"A 9.2 not bad." Kim said as Kaylie smiled and nodded.

"No its awesome since I thought that I had messed up." She said before taking her seat next to Whitney. Alex would take the floor next then Scarlett, Emily, and rounding it out would be Whitney. Kim just watched as each of her girls rocked it. Alex ended up coming out on top with a 9.6. Whitney and Scarlett were next with a 9.4 and Emily had a 9.1 but that was because she had over rotated on one of her flips and had stepped back.

"Great job, girls. Now we move to the beam for our final event." She said as they nodded and grabbed their bags. Kaylie was actually smiling because she was ready for the beam. She had practice it enough to be ready.

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Tommy and the others were on the edge of their seats as Kaylie's turn drew near. She was going last and had to score well. Whitney had fallen a little short scoring a 9.1. Emily had taken the beam next and had scored 9.0. Scarlett had topped both of them and earned a 9.3. Alex had just dismounted and was waiting for her scores. Tommy knew that she would score high because her routine was almost flawless. She had had one little bobble but it wasn't that bad.

"Oh wow look at that." Kelly said as Alex's scores were posted. She had gotten a 9.4. Tommy knew that the judges had been scoring everyone low today. Most of the gymnasts had gotten a 9.3 or lower. Looking at his niece, he started to get worried. What would she do if she did her best and only got a 9.3? He knew that her routine was good and Kim had worked to make it better. He just hoped that it was good enough.

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Kaylie took a breath and counted to three. This was the event that she had been waiting for all day and she was ready to rock it. She knew that Alex had just scored the highest on it all day but she wasn't going to let that stop her. She would do her best and earn a better score. It was finally her time to shine and she wanted to make it last. Stepping up to the edge of the mat, she raised her arm and got the nod. Taking another breath, she smiled as she flipped onto the beam and began her routine with a reverse plange with a bent leg. It was a move that she had watched Kim Zmeskal perform years ago. It was something that not a lot of people could do but looked beautiful when done correctly. She had a smile on her face as she flipped back up.

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Kim couldn't help but smile as Kaylie performed each move with precision and perfection. The reverse plange with a bent leg was a perfect way to start her routine and just showed that she was here to compete. Kim looked out past Kaylie to Tommy who was watching in the stands. She knew that he was just as on edge as she was. Glancing back she watched Kaylie start one of her passes with a back handspring. It was her second pass that had Kim worried. Kaylie had wanted to perform the double arabian. She had told Kaylie that she could do that as her dismount but Kaylie didn't want to end with that. She claimed that she wanted to dismount with a full twisting double back. Kim had not argued because she knew that Kaylie's routine was not up to her. Kaylie understood that no one could be up on that beam with her. Kim watched as Kaylie tapped the beam with her toe and began her difficult dismount. Holding her breath, Kim stood up as Kaylie flew through the air and landed on the blue mat at the end of the beam. It seemed like an hour before Kaylie stood up but it was only a few seconds. She raised up and smiled bigger than any other girl had. Kim screamed as Kaylie raised her arms above her and arched her back. Whitney, Alex, Emily, and Scarlett each jumped up and ran over to Kaylie. It was the best routine and everyone knew it. Kaylie had stuck the difficult landing with ease and grace and no step back.

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Tommy couldn't contain himself any longer; he jumped up and ran down to his niece and Kim. He just knew that her score would be awesome.

"I'm so proud of you." He said into Kaylie's ear as she nodded. Everyone finally made their way off of the mat and waited for the judges' score.

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Kim gripped Tommy's hand as they waited for Kaylie's scores. It was taking forever for them to post and Kim didn't know what to make of that.

"What's taking them so long?" Tommy asked leaning in close to Kim.

"I don't know." She said looking up at him. After several minutes the judges turned to the score board around and Kaylie jumped up. Tommy grabbed her up in his arms and hugged her close.

"I'm so proud of you!" He screamed as she hugged him back. Setting her back down he turned back to look at the score again. Kaylie had just scored a 9.7 on the beam.

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"_For All Around on Vault is Alex from Pink Crane Gymnastics. All Around on the Uneven Bars is Sara from Auburn Gymnastics. Taking All Around on Floor is Lauren from Big Apple Gymnastics. Winning All Around on Beam is Kaylie from Pink Crane Gymnastics and last but not least your All-Around Champion is Alex from Pink Crane Gymnastics."_

"Wow I can't believe that two of Kim's girls got All-Around." Kat said as everyone smiled. They were waiting on Kim and the girls to join them from the locker room.

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"Okay ladies, great job now go and join your parents for a celebration dinner." Kim stated as they cheered.

"What time do we have to be back?" Whitney asked.

"You have to be back at the hotel by nine for room check." She said before walking out. She would wait on the girls outside the door. It shouldn't take too long.

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"Man Zack, this house is awesome." Kim said as they walked through the entrance.

"I know." Zack said as everyone laughed. Kim had decided to join them since all the girls were out with their parents.

"Oh I have missed you." Kim said pulling Zack in for a hug.

"Come on, I am hungry." Rocky said leaning over Aisha's shoulder.

"Dude, I am feeding you. I had my cook whipped up something while we were gone." Zack said with a smile.

"You have a cook? Now why am I not surprise?" Jason asked as everyone laughed again.

"Hey I don't like to cook and Zack can't so yea we have a cook." Angela said as Zack nodded.

"It's fine with me as long as they can feed Rocky." Aisha said as everyone laughed again.

"Hey!" Rocky said before laughing too.

"Don't worry; I think that Pierre will love having someone who loves food as much as Rocky." Angela explained as Rocky smiled.

"You know I always loved you more than Zack." Rocky said slinging his arm around Angela as they walked away.

"Aren't you going to go after them?" Trini asked Zack and Aisha.

"No." They both answered.

"Well like Rocky I am hungry as well since it has been a while." Kim said as Zack nodded.

"Follow me." He said as everyone followed the two of them to the dining room so that Kim and Rocky could be fed.

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Okay so what did everyone think? Please let me know. Also the next chapter should be out soon since I made you wait on this one.


	12. Secret

A/N: Since I was late in posting the other, I wanted to reward you with two chatpers this week. Anyway I hope that everyone likes this chapter.

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Kim smiled as she shut the door. Tommy had been the perfect gentleman as he drove them back from Zack and Angela's house. Zack had been kind of enough to offer one of his cars so that the others didn't have to drive them back to the hotel. Leaning against the door, Kim was a little shocked when she heard a knock. Smiling she opened the door expecting to see Tommy but was shocked even more when she saw his niece standing outside her door.

"Kaylie, is everything alright?" She asked her.

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"Okay now that the love birds are gone, will someone please tell me how this happened?" Zack asked sitting down beside his wife. Everyone was still in the den where he had left them to get the keys for Tommy and Kim. They understood why he had asked since the last anyone had heard Tommy and Kim were barely on speaking terms. Jason had failed to fill everyone in on their new status.

"Well you have to thank my husband for that." Trini said nodding in her husband's direction.

"What do you mean? I mean I know that Jason has tried over the years to try to get them together but it didn't work then so why now?" Zack asked still trying to process that Tommy and Kim were back together or at least trying to be.

"Well I knew that they were talking due to Kaylie training at the gym so I called in Kat." Jason said with a smile. Trini sighed because her husband didn't really explain anything.

"Kat?" Angela asked not really understanding how that would help Tommy and Kim get together. She thought that it would throw a stumbling block between instead of helping them.

"Yea Jason called me and asked if I could drop by the gym and make it look like I wanted Tommy back." Kat said with a smile.

"And that worked? Where was Tommy during all of this? Also what about that scum working with Kim, what did he have to say about this?" Zack asked leaning forward.

"Worked like a charm and Tommy agreed to the plan." Jason said as Trini rolled her eyes.

"He agreed with some reservation. He was very worried about how Kim would take this once she knew." Trini clarified.

"Okay well what about that dude at the gym?" Zack asked as Jason almost growled.

"Sam is not happy that Tommy is back in Kim's life." Jason stated. Everyone looked over at the Red Ranger. They had never really heard that tone before from him except when he talked about Goldar.

"How do you know?" Trini asked a little puzzled. She wasn't sure what he had meant by that comment.

"He slashed her tires." He stated as chaos broke out. Rocky and Zack had jumped to their feet and were yelling until Trini held up her hand to silence everyone. Rocky and Zack sat back down in case Trini got mad that they were still standing.

"What do you mean he slashed her tires? I thought that you didn't know who did that." Trini asked clearly upset with the fact that her husband hadn't shared everything with her.

"Well I'm not for sure but he is the only one that would have cause to slash her tires. He made a move on her and she had to push him away." Jason stated.

"Jason, is he dangerous?" Rocky asked jumping in once again. He never liked Sam and now he knew why.

"I think he is but Kim does not." He replied holding his temper as best as he could.

"Well I think that we are going to have to pay a visit to the gym and make him understand that he can't mess with Kimberly." Rocky stated as the girls groaned.

"I'm sure that Kim can take care of herself." Aisha said trying to remind them that Kim was a grown woman.

"Yea she can but it doesn't hurt to put the fear of God into the man." Adam stated quietly.

"Adam not you too." Tanya said as he nodded.

"Cavemen, all of you are cavemen." Angela said as the men smiled. The women all nodded in agreement.

"Just remember that Kim was the Original Pink Ranger and Jason and Tommy did teach her how to defend herself." Trini commented but it seemed that the boys didn't hear a word she had said.

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Kim ushered Kaylie inside before closing the door. "Kaylie are you worried about tomorrow because if you are, you have nothing to worry about." Kim said as Kaylie sat down on the bed closest to the door.

"Oh no I'm not worried about tomorrow; I just want to ask you about Uncle Tommy." Kaylie replied as Kim nodded.

"Shoot." Kim said sitting on the opposite bed.

"Are you and my uncle dating?" She asked looking down at the floor.

"Working on it, why? Is it weird for you?" Kim asked. She knew that if Kaylie said that it was weird then she would not see him anymore even if it broke her heart. The girls meant everything to her.

"No, not weird just hard to take in at the moment." Kaylie said as Kim nodded. She understood how Kaylie was feeling but she was feeling that way just a little too. Dating Tommy after all these years was hard to take in.

"If you have a problem please let me know. I do not want this to harm you." Kim stated.

"Oh I don't have a problem because I know that both of you are happy." She said shocking Kim a little.

"How do you know that we are happy?" She asked.

Kaylie smiled before answering. "Uncle Tommy has smiled more since he has met you then I can remember. You also smile more when he is around." She said which made Kim nod. She knew that Kaylie was right. She did smile more when Tommy was near. She was just happy to see him.

"You're right I am happy. Do you have any other questions?" Kim asked standing up to grab a bottle of water from the mini-fridge.

"Uh yea when were you going to tell me that you were the Power Rangers?" Kaylie asked causing Kim to spin around to look at her. "I see that you don't deny it." Kaylie commented as Kim gulped.

"Did your Uncle Tommy tell you?" She asked as Kaylie sighed.

"Uh no he didn't, I sort of figured it out when I saw a picture of everyone." She said as Kim nodded.

"I think that your uncle needs to answer some of your questions." Kim said walking over to the room phone and dialed Tommy's room. "I think that you need to get over here." She said before replacing the phone.

"Is Uncle Tommy going to be mad?" Kaylie asked looking down at the carpet.

"No, upset maybe but only because he will see that its his fault that you found out and really in a way it is." Kim said as they heard a knock at the door. Sighing Kim walked over and opened it because she knew that it was Tommy because of the knock.

"Okay so what's wrong?" He asked stepping into the room and stood next to Kim.

"Kaylie why don't you enlighten your Uncle on what you know." Kim stated before sitting on the bed opposite of Kaylie. Tommy stood in front of her with his arms crossed.

"Kaylie, what's going on?" He asked noticing that Kaylie refused to look up at him.

"Uh well I sort of found out that you have a secret." Kaylie said as Tommy held back a groan. She always took her time explaining things to him.

"What secret?" He asked.

"That you were a Power Ranger." She said looking up at him. Kim watched as Tommy went pale and his eyes widened.

"What makes you think that I was a Power Ranger?" He asked as Kim just shook her head. Tommy always went to denial first and this was not the time to do that.

"Don't think I'm stupid. I saw the pictures in your room." She said jumping up and finally looked up at him. Kim was impressed with the way Kaylie was standing up to Tommy not very many people actually did that with him.

"What pictures? I only have pictures of my friends and why were you in my room without me there?" He asked.

"It was the pictures of your friends that tipped me off and I was in your room looking for you." She said throwing her hands on her hips. "You all wear the same colors except for you but even then you only have four colors that you wear." She said causing Kim to smile even more. It really was a miracle that no one else figured out their secret.

"Kaylie, just because we wear certain colors does not mean that we were the Power Rangers." He replied.

"Nevertheless you were the Power Rangers and don't even try to lie to me." She stated as Tommy nodded.

"Okay fine we were but you can't tell anyone." He said walking over to Kim and sitting down next to her.

"Duh, I'm not stupid." She said with a smile.

"Very true." Kim said with a laugh.

"Don't side with her." Tommy stated.

"Oh I'm not but I am also not siding with you either." She said. "I am not getting in the middle of a family squabble." She commented while grabbing his hand.

"Okay I have more questions but I know that now is not a good time but can I ask after Nationals?" She asked as Tommy looked at Kim before nodding to Kaylie.

"After Nationals, we can talk." Tommy stated as Kaylie smiled.

"Good, well I need to get some sleep so I will go back to my room." She said before opening the door and walking out.

"Maybe we should wear different colors." Kim suggested as Tommy sighed.

"She is too smart if she figured out that we were rangers. I mean as far as I know no one else has figured it out. I mean my own team didn't know until they watched my video diary." He stated.

"Yea well she knows all of us so I think that made it easier for her to figure out." She replied leaning into his side.

"Kim what are we going to do?" He asked wrapping his arm around her.

"What do you mean?" She asked looking up at him.

"I mean that whenever she wants something in the future and I don't give it to her she will threaten to tell out secret." He said.

Kim sighed before answering. "I think that you misjudge her. She knows that this is a big deal to us and not something to take lightly." She said. "Also you do realize that if any bad guy finds out that she knows the first Power Rangers she could be targeted."

"Oh I didn't even think about that but I hope that they at least wait until after her gymnastic career." He said as she laughed. Looking over at the clock she groaned.

"Tommy you have got to go so that I can get some sleep before tomorrow." She said standing up.

"Okay but where is Karen? I thought that you two were sharing a room." He asked as he got up as well.

"Oh she is at a meeting to discuss a new code of points the committee is thinking of." She said with a smile.

"Code of points?" He asked delaying his departure.

"Last year at the Olympics several people commented on some of the judges' scores on how they seemed to favor some girls over others. It's like the Winter Olympics a few years ago. So the committee is trying to work out a way that would give each girl an open playing field." Kim stated.

"You don't like it do you?" He asked picking up on the little hints that she was giving him.

"No, I don't. It will completely change the sport." She said as she sat down on the bed.

"How so?" He asked leaning against the door.

"Well the scoring would be based on the moves instead of the entire routine. The harder moves would be scored better and the easier ones lower. It would make it possible for a girl that falls but performs difficult stunts score higher than a girl that performed her routine flawlessly with easy stunts." She sighed.

"Did they think about that?" He asked crosses his arms over his chest.

"Yea they did but they feel that this would make the sport a little more equal." She said as he nodded. "But you know what makes me the maddest?" She asked.

"What?" He questioned softly.

"The perfect ten." She answered with a smile.

"Oh but I thought that you would like that since no one can beat your record." He smiled.

"No that's not it, I wouldn't care if someone beat it but to me and other gymnasts that perfect ten is the best score and when you see that flash across the screen, it's the best feeling." She said. "I mean the only two things that have ever topped it was being a ranger and..." She said before stopping.

"And?" He asked kneeling down in front of her.

"And being with you." She said looing down into his eyes.

"Kim." He stated.

"What?" She asked leaning a little closer.

"You shouldn't say things like that if you want me to leave you in peace tonight." He replied as she smiled.

"I know but you do have to go." She said leaning in and kissing him softly. "Now go." She said standing up and opening the door for him.

"Sleep tight, beautiful." He said kissing her check before walking out. Sighing she closed the door and got ready for bed.

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"Kaylie, are you alright?" Alex asked as Kaylie slipped back in the room. Alex was sitting up in bed with her knees drawn up to her chest.

"Did I wake you?" Kaylie asked instead of answering the question. She really hoped that she hadn't woken her up. She didn't want to tell her the reason that she had been out of the room.

"No, I was still awake going through my routine for tomorrow." Alex stated quietly.

"Oh but in answer to your question, everything is fine. I just needed to talk to Coach for a second." She said sitting on the bed. She and Alex were sharing a room while Emily and Scarlett shared a room. Whitney was in a room with another of the assistant coaches.

"Don't worry you are going to be alright. I saw your routine on the beam and I think that you have what it takes." She said looking over at her.

"Thank you and its not really worry just nerves I guess." Kaylie replied trying not to tell the real reason that she had gone to talk to Kim. She had promised to not to tell their secret and she intended to keep that promise.

"Well you do need to get some sleep; tomorrow is going to be rough." Alex said as Kaylie nodded. She grabbed her pjs and went into the bathroom so that she could change. Walking back into the room, she saw that Alex had turned the lights out and was lying down. Sighing she got into bed and thought about tomorrow. She had to do her best and make the National team. It would bring her one step closer to her dream.

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Okay so what did everyone think? Please let me know and the second day of Nationals is next.


	13. National Champion

A/N: Okay I don't own anything but the concept, the girls, and Sam. Anyway I hope that everyone likes this chapter.

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Kim leaned against the locker room door while her girls got ready. Today was a big day for them and she could just image their nerves. She was nervous for them as well as herself. Bela Karolyi had spoken with her this morning. He had asked her to once again Coach the National team. She knew that this was a huge honor for her for he had never asked the same Coach twice. He didn't want the girls to get used to any one Coach. She had told him that she would give him his answer after the competition. He had smiled then before taking his leave. She really didn't know if she would take him up on his offer. Becoming the National Team Coach might put a strain on her relationship with Tommy. He had to work while she might be in another city training the girls for competitions all around the world and still maintaining her gym. This was all happening so fast. There was also an easy feeling that she had given Tommy up once before for gymnastics, could she do that to him again and did she want to do that again? Hearing the girls near the door, she backed away and smiled. Today the National Team would be picked and she hoped that all of her girls made it. If they perform like yesterday then they would be in that twenty that represented the nation. The door flew opened and her girls stepped out and looked at her. Nodding she turned and they followed her up to the arena.

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"So where did you sleep last night?" Jason leaned over and asked Tommy. Trini rolled her eyes at her husband's question. Jason really did stick his nose into places that it didn't belong but she knew that Tommy wouldn't take offense since they were guys.

"Where do you think I slept?" Tommy asked smiling at him.

"With a certain mutual friend." He whispered.

Tommy laughed before shaking his head. "I left her at her door like the gentleman I am." Tommy replied. Trini, Aisha, Tanya, Kat, and Adam laughed at Tommy's statement.

"Like I believe that." Jason muttered as Trini hit his shoulder. Tommy just smiled and shook his head.

"_Ladies and Gentlemen, please stand for the National Anthem."_ The emcee said over the PA system. Everyone came to their feet as a woman walked out to the center of the arena. Tommy looked down and knew that that woman was Kim. She didn't tell him that she would be singing today and in a way he was pleased. He hadn't heard her sing in forever.

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Kim had just finished the last line of the National Anthem when applause rang throughout the stadium. Looking up she found her friends immediately and looked straight at Tommy. She knew in part that she had sung it just for him. It was like he was the only one in the crowd. Waving to the crowd, she walked back to join her girls and waited for them to be called out and take their place around the edge. Today they would start with floor but they would end on beam like they had yesterday. Kim smiled she had always ended on beam no matter where she had competed.

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"Okay the girls are looking good but they need to pull their scores up with the next event." Trini stated as Tommy nodded. They had been keeping up with the scores and after two events Alex was in the lead with Whitney and Kaylie trailing behind her. Emily was falling behind but that was in part to her fall off of the uneven bars. It had looked like she had just lost her grip. Scarlett was just barely behind Kaylie because Kaylie had taken a step-back on her dismount from the bars which had caused Tommy to groan. Kat had rubbed his back while Trini had patted his knee. Aisha had had to restrain Rocky from charging the judges for Kaylie's score. He had felt that it was too low for her performance but Tommy pointed out that she had stepped back. Now Kim and the girls were heading to the vault and everyone hoped that they would pulled their scores up before moving to the beam.

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Kim sighed as she looked over the scores again. Alex had scored a 9.6 on floor and a 9.5 on bars. Whitney had scored 9.4 on floor and bars. Kaylie scored a 9.4 on floor and on bars she had dropped to a 9.1. Scarlett was next with scores of a 9.2 on both floor and bars. Emily was last with a 9.2 on floor and an 8.9 on bars. The fall had cost her but Kim hoped that the vault would help raise everyone's scores. Handing the piece of paper over to Karen, Kim looked on as Alex lined up for her turn on the vault. She would perform the same vault as yesterday and hopefully she would stick both landings. She could be the National Champion.

"You need to relax." Tommy breathed into her ear. Spinning around, Kim wrapped her arms around him.

"Thank you." She whispered looking up at him. Easing back, she turned so that she could watch Alex perform her vault. She kept one arm around his waist while he had an arm across her shoulders. She cheered as Alex stuck her landing. The vault was a little off but it was still good.

"It looked good." He said as she nodded. The judges posted her score fairly quickly and Kim smiled a 9.5 was good but Alex could do better. Tommy stayed right at her side as Alex completed her second vault. It was not as good as the first and didn't score as high. Up next was Scarlett and Kim was nervous. Tommy rubbed her back as Scarlett landed her first vault. She lined up for her second as the judges posted her score. Kim smiled as she saw the 9.5. It was a pretty vault but as Scarlett took off for her second, Kim knew that this one wasn't as good. Scarlett had hit the vault off center and landed to the right of the vault. She was still on the blue mat but it would cost her points for not landing near center. Kim nodded as a 9.2 posted. At least Scarlett did well on her first vault. Kaylie was next and Kim heard Tommy draw in a breath. He was nervous and she knew it. Vault was not easy but Kaylie could do this. She could do this.

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Tommy closed his eyes as Kaylie took off running. He just couldn't watch his niece running toward an unmovable object. Hearing Kim's grasp, he opened his eyes and saw his niece heading back towards the start. Looking over he smiled when he saw a 9.4 post. It was a good score for her. Taking off again, he felt Kim's hand rub his lower back and smiled. She was trying to comfort him just like he was her. He watched as Kaylie landed her second vault and received another 9.4. There was only one girl left before they moved to beam.

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Kim walked hand-in-hand with Tommy towards the beam. Whitney had out-scored everyone with her 9.6. It was beautiful vault and one that Kim was glad that Whitney had landed cleanly.

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"Well one more event and I think that Tommy is going to stay down there for this one." Aisha stated as Trini nodded.

"Oh believe me, I know he is." Jason commented.

"You know, I may call security just to see what he would do." Rocky said as Adam shook his head.

"You cannot call security on Tommy." Adam stated.

"Why not?" He asked.

"Because he would kill your butt." Adam replied as everyone nodded.

"Oh, yea you may be right." Rocky said rethinking his plan.

"If he doesn't then Kim will." Kat commented.

"Too true." Trini said with a smile.

"Never mind." Rocky said. He would not tangle with Kim today.

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"Great job, Whitney." Kim said as Whitney ran over to her. Tommy stood by her side as each of her girls took their turn on the beam. Alex had been first and had scored a 9.4, Emily had scored 9.3 while Scarlett had scored a 9.1. The judges finally turned Whitney's score around causing Kim to jump into Tommy's arms. Whitney had scored a 9.5. It was the highest score today and now only one gymnast was left to go. Right now though her girls had all three medals on the beam, Kaylie only needed to do her best and have fun. Kim watched as Kaylie stood next to the beam and waited for the judges' nod. She felt Tommy behind her and knew that this was a big moment not just for her and him but for Kaylie. She was within a breath of her dream and all she had to do was take it.

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Kaylie took a breath before flipping into the beam and started off the same way as she did yesterday with a reverse plange with a bent knee. Flipping over she started her first pass with a balance move before spinning around to do her double arabian. She took her time like Kim had told her. She didn't want to rush anything because each move was important and needed to be done with precision and poise. She started her second pass with a back handspring with a layout. Taking a breath, she started the end of her routine and prepared for her dismount. Closing her eyes, she started her dismount. It was only a few seconds until her feet touched the blue and she gained her balance. She was smiling big as she raised her arms above her head.

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Kim stood silent as she waited for the judge's scores. Kaylie's routine was the best and it could only gain the best score. Kim had grabbed Tommy's hand as Kaylie began her dismount. It was the longest few seconds that she had ever watched. Drawing in each breath, she knew that she couldn't faint here. This was about her girls and no one else. Kaylie came to stand beside her as the scored turned around. Kim screamed and grabbed Kaylie close in a hug. Tommy hugged both of them before backing away. Kim looked once more at the score and almost fainted. Kaylie had scored a 9.9 on the beam. She would be taking home the Gold Medal.

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Kim stood off to the side as each girl who had medaled was called. First up was Vault with the Gold Medal going to a Kelly from Texas. Silver went to Whitney and Bronze was shared between Alex and Scarlett. Kim clapped as they all stood on the podium. Next was Bars and Gold Medal was awarded to Alex while a Sara from Auburn took Silver. Bronze went to Lauren from New York. The next event was the Floor and the Gold Medal was awarded to Alex. The Silver went to Lauren from New York while the Bronze went to Jennifer from Auburn. The last had Kim grinning from ear to ear. All three medals would go to her girls. Alex took Bronze, Whitney got Silver and Kaylie was awarded the Gold.

"_And now your National Team members are as follows; Tara from Texas Gymnastics, Allison from South Dakota Gymnastics, Scarlett from Pink Crane Gymnastics, Jennifer from Auburn Gymnastics, Kelly from Texas Gymnastics, Kaylie from Pink Crane Gymnastics, Whitney from Pink Crane Gymnastics, Sara from Auburn Gymnastics, Lauren from Big Apple Gymnastics, and your new National Champion is Alex from Pink Crane Gymnastics."_

Kim was shocked the committee had only picked ten girls this year but at least she had almost all of her girls on the team and Alex was the National Champion which meant that her gym would be host to the National Team for the upcoming year.

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"Kimberly, have you decided on my offer?" Coach Bela asked Kim as she waited for her girls outside the locker room.

"Yes, I have." Kim said as she looked up at the man that had once been her coach. He had coached her to her medals at the Olympics before joining the National Committee. He now picked who the Coach would be each year. It was an honor for him to ask her and she had made her decision.

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"Where's Kim? I thought that she would be glued to your side." Rocky said with a smile.

"She is back with the girls in the locker room." Tommy said leaning against the wall. They were waiting just inside the arena for Kim and the girls. All the other parents were with them as well. They wanted to congratulate their daughters for their performance over the past two days. Tommy just couldn't wait to see Kim. He just couldn't resist going to her side during the competition.

"I can't wait to celebrate this win back in Angel Grove at Ernie's." Rocky stated. Everyone smiled because they knew that Ernie would be throwing a huge party for the girls and Kim. They had done well.

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Okay so what did everyone think? Please let me know. The next chapter should be out next week some time.


	14. National Team Coach

A/N: Okay I wanted to get this to everyone early so here it is. I hope that you enjoy it.

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Tommy saw Kim and the girls making their way toward them. He noticed that the girls had their medals around their necks. Tommy couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face when he saw his niece with the Gold Medal around her neck. The other girls walked over to their parents. They would ride back with them instead of the bus. The only ones riding the bus back would be Kim, Kaylie and him. Kaylie's parents would be driving back to work before leaving out in the morning. Tommy knew that their work was important but they really needed to spend some time with their daughter when they got back. Looking at her, he knew what she must be feeling. Kim had come to him crying after one of her meets because her mother couldn't be there to watch her perform. He had held her and told her that he was there for her like he always had been.

"You coming?" Kim asked as Tommy stared blankly at her.

"What?" He asked.

"I asked are you coming." She said with a smile. Nodding he took her hand and led her out to the waiting bus. He was there for both of them. Kaylie jumped onto the bus first causing Kim to smile. She was ready to get back as well.

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"Thank you." Kim said to the bus driver as she walked down the steps.

"You are most welcome, Ms. Hart. It is always a pleasure and congrats to your girls." He said opening the doors.

"Thank you." She said simply as he nodded and closed the doors. Kim watched as he pulled out of the parking lot.

"So what's on the agenda for today?" Tommy asked her. Spinning around to face him she thought about his question.

"Actually I'm free until tomorrow morning." She said as he smiled. Grabbing her hand, he walked her over to his Jeep. Kaylie was already standing beside his Jeep waiting on them.

"Wait, what about my car?" Kim asked looking around the parking lot.

"Jason, drop it off at your house before he left." He stated as he unlocked the door and let Kaylie and Kim in before going to his side. He pulled out of the parking lot seconds later and drove to his house. He knew what he wanted to do for them tonight and it would involve some take-out and TV. He planned for Kim to relax tonight.

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"Man, I must say this is great Chinese." Kim said as she dug into her low mein noodles. "And I know my Chinese."

"I knew that you would like it." He said grabbing some more chicken from the carton. They ate in a comfortable silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Tommy just looked around the table and had to smile. He liked the picture that he saw.

Kaylie finished up and got up to throw away her trash. "Thank you, Uncle Tommy but I am beat so I am going to leave you two tonight." She said kissing his cheek before heading to her bedroom.

"You want to join me in the living room?" He asked as Kim nodded. Standing up she helped him clean up before joining him on the couch. "You want to tell me what you are thinking about?" He asked.

"How do you know that I am thinking about anything?" She asked leaning into his side.

"Kim, I know you." He said wrapping his arm around her.

"Okay what would you think if I was asked to coach the National Team." She stated.

"Have you?" He asked.

"Answer my questions first." She said leaning back so that she could look him in the eye.

Tommy looked down at her and smiled. "I think its awesome. I mean this your dream." He said.

"No actually my dream was an Olympic Gold Medal and I got that. This is just a job." She clarified.

"No, it's more than that." He said. "Did they ask you to be the coach this year?" He asked looking down at her.

"Yea." She answered quietly.

"Take it." He stated causing her to look up at him.

"What?" She asked trying to follow him.

"Take it." He said again.

"Tommy, I lost you once to gymnastics. How could you ask me to do it again?" She asked gripping his hands in hers.

"Because I saw you last year as you coached the Olympic team. You love this sport and those girls more than anyone else would. Also I am not asking you to give me up." He stated.

"You do realize that I would be away from home more to travel to the different countries." She commented.

"Yes, I do but we are older now and can deal with your travel. I let you go once and I'm not doing it again." He said as she started to cry. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"Nothing, I just realized that I love you." She said wrapping her arms around his neck. He pulled her even closer just smiling. She had just told him that she loved him. Easing back just a little he looked her in the eyes.

"I love you too." He said before leaning in to kiss her softly on the lips. Kim was the one to take the kiss deeper.

XXXX

Kim smiled as she rolled over. She probably should've asked Tommy to take her home last night but she really didn't want to go. Turning onto her side, she just looked at the man next to her. She would tell him this morning that she had already told the National Committee that she would take the coaching job if they picked her. She would know this afternoon if they had picked her. They had scheduled a press conference at the gym to announce who would be the new coach and to let the nation know that her gym would be the home to the National team. It was the first year that it would be in California. She was excited to see the first practice in her gym. The National team would practice every month at her gym. Their first competition was in a month and a half. Not too much time to get ready but the girls were the best of the best so they shouldn't need too much time. "Morning Beautiful." Tommy muttered drawing Kim back to the present.

"Handsome." She said kissing him.

"What I wouldn't give to wake up to you every morning." He said sitting up.

"Oh I'm sure, me looking like this. You would cry mercy after two weeks." She said getting out of bed.

"I don't think so." He said watching her pick up her clothes. "Do you want to borrow some clothes?" He asked smiling.

"That would be nice." She said holding up her crumbled shirt. Tommy groaned and rolled out of bed. He strolled over to his dresser to grab her a shirt out of the drawer. She blushed when she saw that he didn't take the time to put his boxers on. How would she survive him?

"Your cheeks are looking a little red, my dear. Should I take it that you like what you see?" He asked walking over to her.

"Thank you for the shirt." She said reaching for the shirt but he held it out of her reach.

"Answer my question." He said.

"Okay, yea I like what I see." She said looking up at him.

"Good, that's all I wanted to hear." He said handing her the shirt.

Kim rolled her eyes and pulled the shirt on before answering. "You are mean sometimes." She said before pulling on her jeans. "I need you to take me to my house so that I can get to the gym." She stated.

"I thought that the girls have a day off since they just came back from competition." He said grabbing some clothes to put on.

"Oh they do but I don't. The National Committee would be there after lunch to announce the new coach and to welcome the girls to the gym. I want to make sure that everything looks good and is ready for their visit." She said.

"Oh you didn't tell me what you told them about coaching." He said stepping into his jeans.

"I told them that they could put my name in the hat. I won't know until they announce it later today though so I may not even get it." She explained to him.

"You will get it." He said grabbing a shirt. "Okay I will speak to Kaylie then take you home." He stated as she groaned. "What?" He asked.

"I forgot about Kaylie. How could I have spent the night with your niece in the house?" She said sitting back on the bed.

"Kim, it's alright. I'm sure Kaylie doesn't care about you spending the night since I did spend the night at your house before Nationals." He said walking over to her.

"Yea but she couldn't be sure that we actually slept together now she knows." She said rubbing her hand across her face. He knelt down in front of her and took her hands in his.

"Kim, everything is fine." He laughed. "Now let's get you home." He said bringing her to her feet.

XXXX

Waving bye, Kim walked into her house and sighed. Hopefully Kaylie wouldn't think anything about her being there this morning. Walking to her room, she grabbed some clothes and got in the shower. She needed to get to the gym before the others. Fifteen minutes later, she was dressed and ready to go. Jumping into her car, she made her way to the gym. It was good to be home.

XXXX

"So, I saw you taking coach home this morning." Kaylie stated as Tommy walked through the front door. He saw her sitting on the couch watching some reality show.

"Are you okay with that?" He asked coming around the couch to face her.

"Yea I am. You both deserve happiness and she is way better than other woman you have dated." She stated happily.

"Yes she is." He sighed before walking away. Kaylie just smiled after him. She knew that Kim was perfect for her uncle and she intended for no one to come between them this time around. Looking at the clock, she saw that she didn't have too much time to get ready and get her uncle to take her to the gym. She wanted to be there to see who the new coach would be. She hoped that Kim would be the coach but she knew that there was a possibility that it could be anyone.

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Kim put the broom and dustpan up. She had swept the entire floor and was ready for the National Committee. Everything was set up and just waiting for them. Looking at the clock on the wall, she saw that she had a little time before anyone would be here and she knew that the beam was calling her name. Taking off her shirt and jeans, she stood next to the beam in her pink leotard. She stretched before flipping onto the beam. It felt great to be back on it. Taking a breath, she ran through her routine that had won her the Gold in the Sydney games in 2000. Touching the beam with her toe, she performed a perfect back handspring in tuck position. Smiling she started her dismount and landed on her feet with no step out.

"You're still the best." A voice said from behind her.

"Sam, what are you doing here?" She asked turning to face him.

"I wanted to say my congrats on four of your girls making the National Team." He said walking closer to her.

"Thank you but the girls did all the work, I just coached them." She said watching his every move.

"Now you know that you did more than that, you believed in them just like I believe in us." He said causing her to be on her guard. Apparently he still didn't have the picture.

"Sam, I am with Tommy." She explained to him with calm tones.

"The guy that didn't come after you in high school? He doesn't really love you. I mean how can he love you with you coaching his niece." He fired at her.

"I think its time for you to leave." She said moving past him to grab her clothes.

"Kim, you don't know what you're saying." He said grabbing her arm as she brushed past him. Kim didn't even think about what she was doing only acted. She moved her arm so that she grabbed his hand and flipped him over his head and onto his back. "What was that for?" He asked from his back.

"Slashing my tires." She said.

"You can't prove that was me." He snarled jumping to his feet. She saw the look in his eyes and finally saw what Tommy had seen. Sam was dangerous but she could handle him. Zedd and Rita's monsters had prepared her for just about anything.

"I think I just did." She commented bracing herself for the next attack.

"You will pay for that." He said coming after her again only this time she was ready for him. It was just a shame that he had underestimated her and that he didn't know her deepest secret.

XXXX

"Now why did I have to bring you here on your day off?" Tommy asked getting out of the Jeep.

"I want to know who the new coach is and they are announcing it this afternoon." She said getting out of the Jeep as well.

"Okay whatever." Tommy said noticing a car next to Kim's. "Whose car is that?" He asked. He knew that no one would be here yet since Kim had told him that they would be here later.

"I think that's Coach Sam's but I'm not sure why he's parked there when he normally parks around the back." She said as Tommy paused. Sam was in there alone with Kim and that could not be good. Taking off running, he made his way into the gym and saw that Kim was standing over Sam who was lying on the floor.

"What happened?" He asked coming up beside Kim. He then noticed that Sam's nose was bloodied.

"Sam was just leaving." Kim stated as Sam nodded before standing up and walking out of the gym. Kaylie was just walking through the door, when Sam pushed past her.

"Kim, did you have to bloody his nose?" Tommy asked as Kim smiled.

"I guess that's why you were the first Pink Ranger." Kaylie commented as Kim nodded. Tommy sighed and just looked between them. What was he going to do with them? His first thought was to protect his Pink Crane but he had forgotten that Kim could take care of herself. He had taught her how to protect herself; he just thought that she would never need it out of uniform.

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"We would like to welcome everybody here today. You are standing in the home of the National Team where the team will practice and where the competitions will be held. We would also like to congratulate the ten ladies who made the team this year." Allison said as she paused. She was the spokeswoman for the National Committee and was a gymnast with Kim in 2000 at the Olympics. "We are also gathered here today to reveal who the new National Team Coach is if everyone will please join me in welcoming Coach Kimberly Hart as the 2005 National Team Coach." She said as Kim made her way to the stage. Kim had looked at Tommy when her name had been called and saw the joy in his face. She knew that she had made the right decision. She also knew that she wasn't giving up anything to take this job. Tommy wasn't letting her go.

"Thank you and I would like to say that I cannot wait to start training the ladies for their competitions and hopefully bring home more medals than in the past." Kim stated before walking back over to Tommy. All of her girls had shown up along with the other members of the National Team. Their first practice would be tomorrow with the National Committee watching on. They would then pick the six ladies to go to their first competition in France. The first practice was always a big deal because they girls had to get over their nerves of training with a new coach and having people watch on but she couldn't wait.

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"Kim, what really went on today with Sam?" Tommy asked as Kim stirred the pan.

"He was just trying to convince me that you were not right for me and that I should give him a chance. I handled though so no worries." Kim said looking up at him. "You taught me how, remember." She threw at him with a smile. Tommy just shook his head. Kaylie was in the living trying to find something to watch on Kim's TV. Kim had invited them over since Tommy had her over last night. She also knew that Kaylie had not been eating that well since Tommy couldn't cook too much. The girl needed a home cooked meal every once in a while.

"So is dinner ready yet?" Kaylie asked leaning against the bar.

"Almost." Kim said as Kaylie smiled and nodded. "But we did promise to answer your questions about our past so now is the time to ask." Kim stated as Kaylie pulled out the bar stool to sit on.

"Okay well how did you get to be Power Rangers?" She asked as Kim motioned for Tommy to keep stirring.

"Well I was fourteen when Rita Repulsa was released on the moon. She began attacking the Earth and Zordon teleported myself, Jason, Trini, Zack, and Billy to the Command Center." Kim said grabbing the salad out of the fridge. "And before you ask, Zordon was an interdimensional being from a planet called Eltar which I have no clue where that is." Kim stated before continuing. "He explained to us about Rita and her plan to take over the Earth and then explained that he had picked us to be the Power Rangers." She said as she got out the salad dressing.

"What did you say?" Kaylie asked propping her head on her hand.

"Well we were a little surprised but sort of unbelieving too. I mean Jason was the only one who kind of took it serious. We were overwhelmed to say the least but we got a wake-up call once we left the Command Center. Rita had sent the putties which were these gray men to attack us. We ended up having to morph to save ourselves. After that we fought monsters several days a week and kept our secret." She stated adding a little salt to the pan.

"What about Uncle Tommy? When did he come into the picture?" Kaylie asked smiling at her uncle.

"Oh he came in, in a flash of green. He was in a match against Jason and since they were both great, they ended the match in a draw. The next day at school, I got to meet him which I guessed sealed my fate. He was my knight in shining armor that day." Kim said with a smile. "Anyway, Rita also took notice that he had beat Jason and had chosen him to be her evil ranger. It took us a week but we finally broke the spell over him and he came over to our side." She said grabbing the plates from the cabinet.

"Okay so how did he become the White Ranger?" She asked.

"Well my Green Ranger powers were not that stable after leaving Rita. After Zedd came to town, I basically destroyed them in order to stop his plan. Zordon felt that my fight wasn't over and the others needed my help so he created the White Ranger powers so that they could never be taken and used for evil." Tommy supplied as Kaylie nodded.

"Wow this is just so much to take in, I mean that you were normal teens but underneath you were superheroes." Kaylie stated as Kim laughed.

"Well we weren't Superman or Batman but we did our best." Kim said grabbing the garlic bread out of the oven.

"No you were better because you are real." Kaylie said causing Tommy to smile at that. He had been worried about letting Kaylie in on their secret but she would guard their secret with her life and he didn't have to worry.

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Okay so what did everyone think? Please let me know. Also we all know that Kim was a ranger so she could handle herself and that's what she did with Sam. Anyway the next chapter should be out soon.


	15. Kim Takes a Stand

A/N: I don't anything but the concept, the girls, and Sam. I hope that everyone likes this chapter.

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"Good, now bend on that next move." Kim stated. They were just about done with their first day of practice. All the girls were on their game and it would be hard to pick the six girls who would go to France but it would need to be done. She watched as Lauren did as she said and made the move even more difficult. The girls had all they needed to succeed. Lauren finished the move before dismounting from the bars. She stuck her landing with little effort. She wasn't number two for a reason. "Great job, Lauren. Kaylie you're up." She said as Kaylie nodded before walking over to the bars. She started her routine as Karen walked over to her.

"What happened between you and Sam yesterday?" Karen asked as Kim sighed.

"A disagreement that's all." Kim stated still watching the girls.

"Are you sure?" Karen asked as Kim nodded. She didn't want to talk about Sam with anyone today. It was National Team day and she didn't need any distractions. She also knew that she would need to speak to Sam and tell him that he could no longer be the boys' coach. She just didn't feel safe with him any longer which was bad. He had been her friend in Florida and up until Tommy reentered her life. Why couldn't Sam just be okay with just being friends? Why did he want more when she didn't have that to give to him? "Kim, I'm here if you need to talk." Karen said pulling Kim from her thoughts.

"Thanks Karen that means a lot to me." Kim stated looking over at her assistant coach. Karen had been through a great deal too. She had been on the National Team with Kim when she had fallen off the uneven bars. Karen's career had been over in an instant but she still loved the sport and when Kim had been picking assistant coaches, she knew that Karen would be great. Turning back to the girls, she noticed the time. "Great practice girls, now hit the showers." She said as they left. Turning she made her way to her office. She would meet with the National Committee in a few minutes to determine who got to go to France.

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Tommy pulled up outside the gym and got out of his Jeep. He was nervous for Kaylie because he knew that there was a possibility that she wouldn't be going to France. They would only be taking six which meant that four girls wouldn't be going. Kaylie was new to the scene but hopefully that wouldn't be against her. Walking into the gym, he made his way to the parent's section. He knew that Kim was in her office with the National Committee going over who would be going. Taking a seat, he waited for Kaylie and the news on who was going.

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"On behalf of the National Committee and Coach Hart, I have the honor of announcing the six girls who will be representing the United States." Karen said as everyone stood. "The six girls going are Alex, Lauren, Whitney, Sara, and Kaylie." She said as everyone cheered. The four girls that were not going knew that the National Committee had chosen who they thought would bring home the Gold and knew that next time they would work harder to get the chance to go. After the announcement everyone talked a little bit before leaving until only Tommy, Kaylie, and Kim remained.

"How about some pizza?" Tommy asked looking at Kim and Kaylie.

"Uh, not tonight, I need to get home." She said gathering her things not really looking at him.

"What's going on?" Tommy asked sensing that something was not right with Kim. He had known her too long not to notice the signs of something bothering her and the fact that she wasn't looking at him.

"Nothing, its just been a long day and I need to get some rest for tomorrow." She said as they walked out of the gym. Kaylie made her way to the Jeep while Tommy stood by Kim's side. He watched her lock up before she turned to face him.

"Kim?" He asked looking down at her.

"I'm fine. Now go and get that girl some pizza for making the team for France. I will see you tomorrow." She said before leaning up to kiss his cheek.

"Goodnight and call if you need anything." He said as she nodded. He waited until she got in her car and left the parking lot. Walking to his Jeep he climbed in and made his way to the local pizza joint. Kaylie deserved this tonight even if he wanted to chase Kim down and find out what was wrong.

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The next day at the gym Kim knew the moment that Sam walked in. She wasn't ready for this but it needed to be done. It had caused her to lose sleep last night as it was.

"Kimberly, I'm glad to see that you are still coaching." He said with a smile that didn't quite make it up to his eyes. She could see the side that Tommy and everyone else saw.

"What do you mean? Of course I'm still coaching." She said crossing her arms across her chest. She also noticed that he was keeping his distance from her which she found that she liked. He now had a healthy respect of her.

"I just meant now that you are with Tommy that he would want to move you closer to him and give up the gym." He said moving closer to her.

"He would never ask me to give up my job just to be closer to him." She said a little angrily. Why would he even think that Tommy would ask her to give up the gym? Something was seriously wrong with him.

"Sure whatever you say." He said looking past her to the gym.

"Sam, I'm not sure why you are here but we need to talk." She said motioning for them to find somewhere private to talk. Karen and the other assistants would watch the girls while she talked to him and told him what she needed to say. Walking through her office door, she watched him close the door behind him.

"You wanted to talk so talk." He said leaning against the door.

"Okay first off, you need to find another coaching job. I have started looking for another coach for the boys' team." She told him in calm tones. She was doing her best to stay calm because she didn't need to start a fight with him.

"Can I ask why? I mean I built that team." He said straightening up.

"Yes you did but you crossed the line two days ago. This isn't working and it is my gym." She said looking away.

"Oh you're right. It isn't working. I think that I should press charges for you hitting me." He fired at her. Looking back at him she smiled. How could he have ever thought that she would prefer him? He was talking about pressing charges against her for hitting him. No matter how many times she had hit Tommy either in self-defense or while battling, he had never once said that he would press charges against her. She also had friends at the station.

"Fine, tell Bulk and Skull that I said hi and that I will be down later to dispute the charge." She said as he stormed out. Watching him walk out made her happy. She just hoped that he pressed charges. Bulk and Skull would laugh him out of the Police Station in a heartbeat. How much damage could she do to him anyway? Shaking her head, she made her way back down to the gym floor so that she could continue with class. She couldn't wait to tell Tommy about Sam wanting to press charges against her.

XXXX

"Kim, he is unstable. I don't want you alone with him." Tommy said. Kim had just sat him down and told him that Sam had paid her a visit at the gym. She had thought that he would the fact that he wanted to press charges funny like she did.

"Don't worry I am fine." She said sitting down in his lap. He had dropped Kaylie off with her parents so that they could spend some time with her before they had to leave again.

"I am worried. He is dangerous and apparently unstable. Why else would he threaten to press charges against you?" He asked wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Yea well he has lost everything in a short amount of time." She stated. "If he could've just coached the boys and left me alone, he could've kept his job." She said with a sigh.

"He was in love with you and he thought that he had waited long enough. He thought that you were in love with him until I showed up. I know how he felt when he realized that you were in love with someone else." He said with a smile.

"Tommy when did you ever see me in love with someone else?" She asked sliding out of his lap onto the couch next to him. She wanted to hear this.

"When you were under that spell and thought that you loved Skull." He replied as she nodded.

"I had forgotten about that but that was only for a short time." She commented.

"Yea but it still hurt." He said.

"I'm sorry." She whispered leaning into his side. She looked over at the clock and knew that he had to get back home. Kaylie's parents were leaving in a little bit. "You need to get back to Kaylie." She stated leaning away from him.

"I know." He sighed and got up. She followed him to the door and closed it after him. She made sure that she locked it before gathering their dishes to load the dishwasher. It was almost time for bed and after last night of little sleep she needed all the rest she could get.

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"Jase, I just don't trust this guy." Tommy said while driving home. He had called Jason as soon as he had gotten in the car.

"_I don't either but what do you want me to do?" He asked. _

"Be at the gym tomorrow when he shows up to get his stuff. Kim may not need protection but someone needs to be there." He said with a sigh. If he had it his way then Sam would never step foot in the gym again but he guessed that Sam did deserve his stuff from his office.

"_Okay fine, but I think that he needs my protection more than she does." _Jason stated as Tommy laughed. He knew that that was right. Kim didn't need anyone's protection but she got it no questions asked and she always would.

"Thanks Jase. If you need anything let me know." He said before hanging up. If there was any way that he could be there, he would but he had a test to give tomorrow and Jason was closer.

XXXX

"_Kim, I don't think this is funny."_ Jason said over the phone. Apparently Tommy had called him as soon as he had left her house and he wanted to share his opinions with her as well. Could no one see the humor in the situation?

"Jason don't worry I called the station and they told me that he never came in. I can take care of myself." She stated with a sigh. It was the same thing Tommy had worried about. She knew that they loved her and that was the reason that they always wanted to rush in and protect her. It was just something with them. The other girls complained about the boys wanting to protect them to the point of locking them in their houses so that nothing happens to them. She and Trini had talked about it at length. Everyone had agreed though that Kim was probably the worse because all the guys looked after her. It had to come from the fact that she was smallest and had been captured the most.

"_Kim did you hear what I said?"_ Jason asked as Kim sighed. She hadn't been paying any attention to him.

"No but look can we talk about this tomorrow. I need to get some sleep." She said as he agreed. Hanging up the phone, she changed into her pjs and got into bed. It would be a long day tomorrow.

XXXX

"What are you doing here?" Kim asked stepping away from the girls the next day at practice. She hadn't really been shocked when Jason walked in but behind him were Rocky, Adam, Billy, Zack, and Tommy. Knowing that they had taken off work to be here only made her mad especially Tommy because he had a test to give.

"Making sure that everything runs smoothly." Adam stated. She could see why Rocky, Jason, and Tommy were here but she couldn't believe that Adam, Billy, and Zack had gone along with them.

"You know I am surprised that you three have followed these boys here." She said pointing at Adam, Billy, and Zack.

"Well we knew that they were Reds and this could get ugly so we wanted to avoid bloodshed at your gym." Adam said with a smile. Kim just shook her head and walked away from them. Sometimes she could shed some blood on her own. She would do something about them later but right now she had to coach her girls.

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"You know that I don't think she was happy to see us." Rocky said as Tommy led them to the parent's section so that they could take a seat and wait for Sam to show up. He had convinced Ms. Randall that he needed a day off and she had agreed. She was also the one giving his class their test today which made him relax a little easier.

"Well she will get over it. I saw his bloody nose and know that he had to have come at her for her to hit him like that. We all taught her defense." Tommy said sitting down with his arms across his chest. The others followed suit and watched as Kim's girls practice their moves across the gym.

XXXX

"Did I miss the memo on having angry men come to practice today?" Karen asked motioning to the parents' section as Kim groaned and rubbed her face. This was getting out of hand.

"No, they are worried about Sam doing something." She stated. She had finally filled Karen in on what had happened between her and Sam a few days ago. Karen had agreed that he should move on and try to get over Kim. She had told Kim to watch her back because he probably won't leave easily but she looked over at the men again and knew that Sam would have to have a death wish to face that firing squad. Their body language alone, said don't mess with me.

"Well it must be nice to have your hit men on your speed dial." Karen joked before turning back to the girls. She was one of the spotters for the beam today.

"Very funny." Kim said under her breath. She glanced back at the parents' section and just shook her head. They were all sitting there like they owned the place and were angry about it. She knew one thing that would put fear into them. Motioning for one of the assistants to take over for her she went up to her office to make a few phone calls. This would be interesting to say the least and she couldn't wait to see the fireworks.

XXXX

"Did you have to have backup to face me today?" Sam asked looking back at the guys lined up behind Kim.

"They just came here to make sure that you had an easy time packing up." She replied. It was a miracle that the guys had stayed back while Sam had approached her. She knew that it took all they had to stay back though and for that she was happy.

"Kim is there anything I can say to change your mind?" Sam asked looking back at her.

"No just please get some help." Kim said as he nodded before walking away. She hoped that this was over but she wouldn't get her hopes up. He still thought that he was in love with her.

"Do you think he will?" Tommy asked coming up beside her.

"I'm not sure." She replied. "But I hope he does."

"Who called them?" Rocky asked as the girls pulled up in their separate cars. You could see them through the glass doors at the entrance.

"I did." Kim said. "Oh and have fun." She stated before walking away from them to get back to her girls. She would love to hear what the girls would say but she had a gym full of girls to train.

XXXX

"I cannot believe that you all showed up here!" Trini screamed as she hit Jason upside the head.

"Ouch! Trini that hurt and we only wanted to make sure that Sam left without a fuss." He said rubbing his head.

"Every one of you will go and say you're sorry to Kim and all of her girls." Aisha stated with her hands on her hips.

"What? We were only down here for her protection." Rocky whined.

"Kim is a grown woman who can take care of herself now march." Tanya said pointing back to the gym. Trini, Kat, Angela, Aisha, and Tanya watched as the boys walked back into the gym with their heads bowed. They didn't dare smile though because the boys would catch on and know that they weren't really mad at them. They did need to apologize to her though for not trusting her to handle her own problems.

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Kim held her smile as the guys said they were sorry before walking away from her. It was hard though because they really didn't look sorry only angry that they were caught being there. She was thankful for them being in her life but sometimes it was just too much.

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Okay so what did everyone think? Please let me know. The next chapter should be out soon.


	16. New Coach

A/N: Okay so I don't own anything but the girls and anything else that wasn't in the show. Anyway I hope that everyone enjoys this chapter.

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"I can't believe that you thought that Kim needed all of you there." Trini commented. Everyone had decided that since they were all together they should have dinner together. The boys had wanted to grill out while the girls had wanted to go out and eat. Kim had broken the tie by saying that she was tired from all the drama and just wanted to stay at home and grill. Of course it then started a fight over who got to grill. Jason had thought that he would do it but Rocky had other plans. Tommy settled that dispute by sitting both of them down and appointed Adam to grill.

"Yea well I thought that Tommy had a test and who would've thought that Zack would fly in to be there." Jason replied.

"Oh yea, Tommy how did you get out of that test?" Kim asked taking a bite of her burger.

"Well Ms. Randall agreed to let me off and arrange for someone to give the class their test." He stated wiping his mouth.

"How did you pull that off? I thought that woman hated you." Jason asked.

"Well actually she is much better now that she is not an evil henchman." He replied as everyone stopped eating and just stared at him.

"What?" Kim asked. She needed to know this story.

"Randall was Mesogogg's henchman Elsa. She was sort of like Scorpina in a way." He stated as she nodded.

"How did she get turned back?" Adam asked from the other end of the table.

"Long story but the kids and I did it." He said quietly. Everyone nodded before getting back to their food.

"Kim, how does it feel to be the National Team Coach again this year?" Rocky asked as he got up and grabbed so more food.

Kim finished her food before answering him. "Its great and I'm really enjoying coaching the girls this year." She said getting up to get another drink.

"When is the next match?" Tanya asked before taking a bite of her burger.

"A month and half and its in Paris." She replied sitting back down.

"As in Paris, France?" Angela asked.

"Yea." Kim said with a smile.

"How much shopping are you going to do?" Angela asked leaning back in her chair.

Kim smiled and got a twinkle in her eye. "Dude its Kim, she is going to need like ten bags to come back home with." Rocky said as everyone laughed.

"Rocky, you know that I am going because of my job, right?" Kim asked.

"Uh sure keep telling yourself that." Rocky said laughing again. Kim looked over and saw Tommy smiling.

"Tell me you are not taking his side." She said leaning close to him.

"Yea I think I am you forget I remember all those shopping trips in high school." He said as everyone burst out laughing again. Kim hit his leg before smiling. They enjoyed the rest of the night before everyone started leaving. Tommy was first since Kaylie was at home. She had wanted to go home and let Tommy enjoy his friends without her around. She had some studying to do anyway. Kim waved bye to everyone before closing her door and getting ready for bed. It was a great way to end the day.

XXXX

_Two Weeks Later_

"Kim have you picked another man to coach the boys yet?" Karen asked looking over at Kim. She was seated at her desk going over resumes for a new coach. She had just walked up to Kim's office to check on her.

"Ugh, no but I am interviewing a man today and hopefully he will work out." Kim stated standing up to stretch her back. She had been hunched over her desk for the past two hours. The girls were eating lunch and studying for their tests this week. It had been two weeks of interviews and she was tired. It just wasn't getting any easier. She hadn't got to spend any time with Tommy, which was starting to bite but hopefully it would be over soon.

"You need a break." Karen commented and grabbed some files from the floor. She started putting some of them up for Kim. Some of them were the men that she had already interviewed for the boys' coach.

"I know but I need to get this done before France." She replied before sitting back down. Karen sighed and left Kim alone after putting up the files that she had gotten off the floor. Kim would just have to find the coach and fast.

XXXX

Tommy made it to the gym in record time today. He had been worried about Kim. She had been working hard over the past two weeks trying to find a new coach for the boys. He could tell that she was pushing herself too hard during her day. So he was surprised when he saw Kim talking to a new guy on his way in. "Who is that guy? I don't think that I have seen him here before." Tommy asked Kaylie as she neared him. "Is there a new girl here?" He asked as she looked back at Kim and the man in question. The guy was about his height and looked to be built. He had on a pair of track pants and a t-shirt that said Go Gold or Go Home. He had to be very big in the sport if he wore shirts like that.

"Oh that's the guy that Kim is interviewing for the boys' coach." She stated as she grabbed her tennis shoes out of her bag. She slipped them on her feet while Tommy stared at Kim and this guy. He watched as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Was she flirting with that guy and why? Looking at the guy, he knew that he found Kim attractive. This did not bode well for him. Could Kim prefer this guy over him? They did have a lot in common. "Uncle Tommy?" Kaylie asked looking up at him.

"Oh what?" He asked looking over at her.

"I said are you ready to go? Mom and dad are coming in tonight." She said as he nodded. He grabbed her bag and walked her out but his mind was still on Kim and that guy. Who was he to her?

XXXX

"Thanks for giving me this opportunity. I watched you win Gold." Greg said as Kim smiled. He was perfect for the boys' team.

"Oh thank you but this will be hard. Running a gym is not easy." She said as he nodded.

"I can't imagine that its easy running a gym of this size but no worries. I will help in way that I can." He stated as she nodded.

"Okay well first, let me show you around the boys' section." Kim said as she led him through the boys' part of the gym. The assistant coached had been hard at work trying to make sure that the team still practiced and kept up on their training. Some of the boys had made the National Team and they really needed to focus.

"Kimberly this is a great setup that you have here. I am honor to be working here." He said after their tour.

"Well thanks we try to make sure that we have top of the line equipment for the gymnasts to train on. Would you like to start tomorrow?" She asked sitting down behind her desk.

"Yes what time do I need to be here?" He asked.

"Well the boys normally come in early so make it around six-thirty. Wes will be here and let you in the back. Also there is parking in the back next to the boys' entrance." Kim stated.

"Okay and thanks." He said before walking out. Kim smiled as she stood up. She had finally found a boys coach. Now she could rest easy tonight.

XXXX

"Are you going to see Kim?" Kaylie asked watching Tommy grabbed his keys.

"Maybe but what does it matter? You have your parents coming here." He said as she smiled.

"Tell Kim I said hi and listen to her side before you start pointing fingers." She stated as she sat down on the couch.

"What does that mean?" He asked opening the door.

"I saw the way you looked at that new coach. Kim was not flirting with him." She stated as Tommy just stared at her.

"How do you know things like this?" He asked clearly puzzled.

"I'm a girl." She replied as he walked out the door. He really didn't understand his niece sometimes. She had a superpower of knowing what he was thinking at times. It was really scary but thinking about he knew that Kim had that same superpower sometimes.

XXXX

Kim had just got her food in the oven when the door rang. "Crap!" She said walking to the door. She had thrown her hair up into a pony-tail on her way to the door. Opening it she wasn't that shocked to see Tommy at the door. He and Kaylie hadn't stayed over at the gym like they normally did. "Hey Tommy, come in." She said walking away from the door to let him in. She heard him shut the door as she sat down on the couch. Looking at him, she knew that sometime was wrong. "What's wrong?" She asked when he started pacing.

"Who was that guy at the gym today?" He asked calmly.

"Oh that's Greg; he will be the new boys' coach. He is really good and has an Olympic Gold medal too." She said with a smile not seeing his grimace.

"Are you dumping me?" He asked sitting down beside her. His question was a surprise to her.

"What? No, I'm not dumping you. Why would you think that?" She asked taking his hands in hers.

"I saw the way you were acting with him." He replied.

"I was acting happy that someone was finally working out to be the new coach." She told him.

"Its not just that but you have more in common with him than we do. I mean you both have Gold medals and you have so much to talk about." He said looking at her.

"Gymnastics, we have gymnastics in common, that's all and although I can talk about it at times, I do not want to talk about it all the time." She said smiling at him. "And anyway when I am in a relationship, I like to be able to share even my deepest secrets and I can't do that with him." She said.

"What secrets are you keeping?" He asked really looking at her.

"Being a Power Ranger and that is something I share with you along with our friends. We have a lot in common even if you don't think so." She said leaning in to kiss him. Sometimes it was great to see him like this because most of the time, Tommy was a big strong man that didn't need anyone and kept his feelings hidden even from her.

"I'm sorry for acting like this but I don't want to lose you." He stated pulling back from her.

"You are not going to lose me and anyway I think that Greg would prefer a tall blonde more than me." She said with a wink as she got up and got her food. "Do you want anything?" She asked from the kitchen.

"No but why did he move here if he was good?" He asked following her into the kitchen.

She grabbed a potholder and opened the oven before she answered. "Uh well he just broke up with his girlfriend about a month ago and he wanted a fresh start when he saw my ad for a coach." She said pulling out her food and placing it on the counter.

"Broke up with his girlfriend?" Tommy asked leaning against the counter. Kim smiled over at him.

"Tommy, its okay, he noticed that you were giving him the evil eye today at the gym." Kim stated.

"What do you mean? I barely looked over at you." He said looking away.

"Yea right, I know how you are and I can't believe that he even left the gym walking normally." She said grabbing two drinks out of the fridge. She handed one to him while she grabbed a fork for herself.

"You are something else, that smells good." He said looking at her dish. Smiling she grabbed him a fork as well and came around to his side and sat in one of the bar stools as he sat in the other.

"I may be something else but at least I don't go all Evil Green Ranger on whatever girl you talk too." She said taking a bite.

"I don't go all Evil Green Ranger on the guys you talk too." He replied as she nodded. "I don't." He stated.

"Tommy, your eyes were flashing green." She said.

"Okay fine but you were flicking your hair back and smiling at him." He said.

Kim looked over at him. "Tommy, I flicked my hair back because it was in my face and I was smiling at him because he had taken the job. I told you that I'm not leaving you over him. He is not my type." She said looking him in the eye.

"Type? What is your type?" He asked.

"Oh you know, tall dark, and handsome with flashing green eyes." She said before laughing. Tommy joined in her laughter. They continued to eat and discuss the new coach before Tommy had to leave. He wanted to stay but he didn't have any clothes and he would have to go back and get Kaylie before driving back to the gym. Kissing her bye, he watched her waved from her door before she closed it.

XXXX

Tommy had thought about Kim had told him last night about being jealous. He guessed he probably was but he would try to change that. After all he didn't want to drive her into another man's arms with his jealousy.

"Tommy." Kim said as soon as he walked into the gym. She had been waiting for him near the door.

"Kim, shouldn't you be with your girls?" He asked with a smile.

"I'm watching them but I want you to meet you someone." She said grabbing his hand. They walked over to the back of the gym before continuing through the door into the boys' side.

"Kim, is there anything wrong?" Greg asked walking over to them.

"Oh no I just wanted you to meet my boyfriend, Tommy." She said stopping just in front of him.

"Nice to meet you, Tommy, I'm Greg the new boys' coach but I guess that you already knew that." He said smiling as Tommy shook his hand.

"Yea I did and I'm happy that you are taking the job here." Tommy said as Kim smiled.

"I am too." Greg said.

"Well I guess we better let you get back to work, we won't bother you anymore." Kim stated as she grabbed Tommy's hand and walked him back to the main part of the gym with the girls.

"Did I do good?" Tommy asked with a smile.

Smiling Kim paused before walking through the door that led back into the gym. "Yes you did but I wanted you to meet him properly so that you don't have any doubts." She said kissing his cheek before walking away. Tommy smiled before making his way to the parent's section and waited for the end of practice.

XXXX

"Okay good job, ladies that's all for today." Kim stated as the girls finished up and made their way to the locker room to change. It had been a long day of practice and they were ready to go home.

"Kim." Karen called as Kim walked over to her to see what she wanted.

"Yea, what's up?" She asked.

"The National Committee called and they wanted to do a photo shoot before the meet in France." She stated.

"Okay set it up for tomorrow after practice. I will let Alex know." She said turning to walk away when Karen's comment stopped her.

"They don't want Alex or at least not right now?" She said causing Kim to look at her.

"Who do they want? Alex is the National Champion." Kim pointed out.

"They wanted to do a showcase on you as the coach since this is your second year as the coach." She said.

"What? A showcase on me? What could they possibly want to know that the public doesn't already know?" Kim asked before walking away. Karen just laughed before making her way up to Kim's office to make the call. She could think of a few things that the public might want to know about Kimberly Hart like how she managed to run a world class gym and still have time to find that hot boyfriend.

XXXX

"They want to do what?" Tommy asked folding his napkin across his lap. He had picked up takeout for the girls tonight since practice had ran over a little. Since Kim was working hard, he had wanted to treat her to a good meal instead of her going home and cooking.

"They want to do a showcase on me which means that they want to have a photo shoot along with an interview." She said grabbing another drink from the fridge. "I just don't know what to think, I mean I'm not the National Champion or defending Champion so I don't know why they want to do a showcase on me." She said leaning against the bar. Kaylie had finished up and had left them alone. Tommy had caught a yawn as she passed the table going to her room. It looked like Kim was working her girls hard.

"When do they want to do this photo shoot?" He asked finishing his food.

"Well I told Karen to set it for in the morning but that was before I knew they wanted to do it on me. Tommy, what am I going to do?" She asked sitting down next to him at the table.

Tommy wiped his mouth before turning his full attention to her. "Kim, this isn't the first interview and photo shoot that you have done so what's the problem?" He asked turning slightly in his chair to face her more.

"When I did them before I was competing not coaching, everything is different now. I mean what if they ask who I'm dating or if I know who the Power Rangers are?" She asked getting antsy.

He took her hands in his before answering. This was what he loved about her. She was so strong and let nothing get to her but really she was soft enough to lean into him. "Kim, if they ask you about the Power Ranger, which I doubt, say that you like everyone in Angel Grove are grateful to them for protecting the Earth day after day and as to who you are dating, I think you know that answer." He said leaning in to kiss her lips. Pulling back he saw her smile before he got up and put his dishes in the sink for now.

"What would I do without you?" She asked getting up and joining him at the sink. She slid her arms around his waist and laid her head on his back.

"So what would you tell them if they ask who you are dating?" He asked rubbing her hand with his.

Laughing she pulled away and faced him before answering him. "I would tell them that I am dating the White Ranger." She said as he joined in her laughter. They were still laughing when he pulled her down the hall and into his bedroom. He had asked her to stay earlier and she had shown him her packed bag in her car. Sometimes it scared him that she read his mind like she did.

XXXX

"Okay Kim, I want you to pose on the beam." The photographer said as Kim sighed. They always wanted her on the beam but then again she held the World record of Gold Medals on the beam. They had her dressed in a pink long sleeve leotard that had tiny cranes on it. She jumped onto the beam and waited for them to direct her on which move they wanted her to do. She watched as they placed her Gold Medals at the ends of the beam. They also had a long table placed in front of the beam that had a dozen red roses place on it along with the American Flag under the roses.

"Which move do you want?" Kim asked once they finished with the medals.

"Let's try just you sitting on the beam with your legs crossed. I want you to stay like that for five frames then I want you to do the splits with your hands on your hips." He said as Kim nodded and did as he asked. The interview portion was already over and thinking back it hadn't been as bad as she thought it would be. They had really only asked about the National Team and if she thought that they could take Gold at Worlds this year. Since it wasn't an Olympic year, Worlds would be the top stage. It was still several months away but everyone was preparing now for what was shaping up to be a great year. She had look at the other countries teams and knew that her girls would have to work hard because it would not be handed to them. The field was tight this year but she expected no less. "Beautiful Kim and I think we are done." The photographer said as Kim got off the beam and grabbed her Gold Medals. They would be returned to her glass case in her office for now. Most of them she kept at home in her safe so that she didn't lose them.

"Kim you busy?" Karen asked from the doorway of her office. It was still early so the girls hadn't made it in yet.

"No come in." She said sitting behind her desk to check her email.

"Well they passed the new code of points." She said sitting down across from Kim.

"I thought they would. When do they go into effect?" She asked as she deleted her junk folder.

"Not until next yet so Worlds won't be any different than last year but you might want to start the girls right after though." Karen said. "I had hoped that they would do something else but apparently this was the only solution." She said as Kim nodded.

"I think that the committee is embarrassed over the fact that this happened at the Olympics just like figure skating a while back." She commented as Karen nodded. Kim shut down her email and got up. The girls would be here soon and she needed to get warmed up before they got here. Karen watched her leave before she got up and made her way to her own office on the ground floor. She had a few emails to answer before the girls got here.

XXXX

Okay so what did everyone think? Please let me know and the next chapter should be out next week sometime. The Code of Points took effect in 2006 which changed the sport.


	17. Katherine

A/N: Okay so here is the latest chapter and I hope that everyone likes it.

XXXX

"So how did the photo shoot go?" Tommy asked as he handed Kim a bottle of water.

"Good, it went really good. Where is Kaylie tonight?" Kim asked leaning back against the couch.

"Well David and Kelly wanted a night by themselves with her so I told them that I would be over here." He said sitting down beside her.

"That's good; I mean them spending more time with her." Kim said leaning into his side.

"Yea they may be moving back here permanently." He commented. "I told them that they could stay with me until they found a place."

"Oh that's good news. I know that Kaylie will be happy to have them back here." Kim said with a smile on her face. They were quiet for a while after that when Tommy realized that Kim was asleep. He smiled and grabbed her bottle and put it on the coffee table. Easing away from her a little, he picked her up and carried her to the master bedroom down the hall. He knew that it had been a long day for her with the photo shoot early this morning then a full day of practice. Laying her down, he eased her jean shorts off before reaching for the hem of her t-shirt.

"What are you doing?" She asked without opening her eyes.

"Undressing you." He whispered as she sighed. He smiled while he pulled her shirt over her head. Kissing her softly on the lips, he finished getting her out of her clothes before grabbing her night shirt. He slipped it over her head before pulling the covers back and easing her between them. His clothes came next which took no time. He flipped the light off before sliding into bed next her and no sooner was he settled she was tucked into his side. Kissing her head again, he finally closed his eyes and dreamed of her.

XXXX

"Kim, it doesn't look like a fire." Kat said rushing over to her in the gym the next day. She had panicked when Kim had called and said there was a fire at the gym.

"I didn't say there was a fire, Kat are you feeling are right?" She asked feeling of the blonde's head with her hand.

"What was the message you left for me then?" Kat asked thinking back to her voice mail. Had she really thought Kim had said there was a fire? She should really get her hearing checked. She should have listened to the message a second time.

"I said that I had someone that I wanted you to meet." Kim interjected which caused Kat to stare at Kim.

"Oh sorry." She said thinking back to that message. She was sure that Kim had said fire.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Kim asked as she nodded.

"I think that I had the news on while I was listening to your message so maybe that's where the fire came from." She said remembering the house fire on the news as Kim nodded in understanding.

"Well whatever, anyway I want you to meet Greg." Kim said grabbing her arm and dragging her through the gym.

"Kim, I don't think that this is a great idea. I mean the guy just started working here and I'm just not ready for a blind date." She said trying to ease out of Kim's hold. For being small, Kim sure had a grip that had to be from years of being a ranger and gymnast and probably with dealing with the guys.

"Its not a blind date if you meet him first." Kim commented as she opened the door to the boy's part. Kat just sighed. Kim wanted this so she had better go along with it for now. It may turn out that she didn't like this guy or that he wouldn't like her.

"Kim, where's the fire?" Greg asked laughing. Kim was such a spitfire to be that small that he had to laugh. He had been a little worried when she had dragged her boyfriend to meet him and now she had some woman behind her. How many more people did she want him to meet? This woman though was tall, taller than Kim and a blonde. He really liked blondes.

"No fire but I did want you to meet one of friends." She said as he nodded. Of course she wanted him to meet one of her friends. Karen had said that Kim had a lot of friends. "Greg this is Katherine and Kat this is Greg the new boys' coach." Kim stated with a smile. She could see that Kat was attracted to Greg which worked perfectly with her plans. Kat needed someone in her life and Greg could be that someone.

"Its nice to meet you." Kat said sticking her hand out for him to take.

"Very nice to meet you." Greg said taking her hand and shaking it. Kim saw the sparks fly which made her smile even more. This was perfect and helped in her further plans.

XXXX

"What's bought that smile on?" Karen asked Kim as she walked back into the girls' side of the gym.

"Kat and Greg." Kim said crossing her arms in front of her.

"Whoa, Kim, are you a matchmaker now? If so then I then to have you find someone for me." Karen said with a smile.

"I thought you were happy with Mark." Kim stated turning to look at Karen.

"Oh I am I was joking. Its just that I can't believe that you are setting up another one of your friends. How many has that been now?" She asked watching Kaylie flipped onto the beam.

"I really can't take credit for any of the others. They had already found each other; I just convinced them to date." Kim said with a smile. She saw that Kaylie was trying out the new move that she had suggested. She looked a little shaky but she had some time before Paris to make it perfect.

"Kimberly Anne, I do believe that you have a little of Cupid in you. Anyway who is going to take of the books while you are gone to Paris? You know that I can if you want me too but it would be better if I stayed out on the floor to watch the girls." Karen stated as Kim nodded.

"I know and I have thought about that. If Kat agrees then she will be in the office." Kim replied.

"What? Will she even want to work in the office? Its not dancing." Karen said. She didn't know if Kat would even want to do the office work. Really the only one that could do Kim's job was Kim. She had a way to contain the chaos that was her office.

"Oh she can do its just if she wants too and I hope she will. If not then I will have about two weeks pile up and I will never get ahead." Kim commented as Karen nodded. The National Team had to be in Paris a week before the actual meet and the meet would last three days. Kim watched as Karen walked over to the floor to help one of the girls. She knew that Karen could run the gym if she needed too but she preferred to be on the floor to coach the girls just Kim did. There were very few coaches that could actually train the girls and run a gym but Kim was lucky to be able to do both. Karen was a big help though and Kim was lucky to her.

XXXX

"Kim that was a sneaky trick that you pulled back there, but thank you." Kat said leaning against the door of Kim's office. Kim looked up and smiled. Kat had been on the boys' side for about two hours now which made Kim happy.

"You are very welcome so you like Greg?" She asked as Kat sat down on the couch across from the desk.

"You set me up but at least you do have good taste in men and yes I like him." She said crossing her legs.

"Of course I have great taste in men since I'm dating Tommy." Kim said with a smile as Kat laughed. "Greg is hot though isn't he?" Kim asked.

"Should Tommy be warned about him?" Kat asked with a smile.

"Uh no since Tommy met him yesterday and sized him up. Also I love Tommy and I am not throwing him away for a fling with another coach." Kim stated as Kat raised one of her eyebrows.

"A fling? How do you know that it would be a fling?" Kat asked.

"What else could it be? I mean especially since I love the best man in the world already." Kim said with a smile.

"The best man? Kim, you really do love the multicolor ranger don't you?" She asked looking serious. She knew that in high school Kim and Tommy were in love but after Kim sent the letter she guessed that they were just like everyone else. It had been a shock to learn that Tommy still cared for the woman in front of her when she was captured by Divatox. She later learned that Tommy was still in love with the Original Pink Ranger after they turned over their ranger powers. He told her that one day he would be back with Kimberly if the opportunity ever presented itself. Looking at Kim now she knew that Tommy had been right. They were destined to be together.

"Kat?" Kim said again.

"Oh what, sorry." She said shaking her head.

"I said that I really do love Tommy and Greg cannot compete with that even if he tried." Kim said as Kat nodded.

"Well then you will be happy to know that I am having dinner with him tonight." Kat said as Kim smiled.

"Awesome, you have to call me afterwards and tell me about it." She said.

"Okay, okay I will call you and tell you how the date goes." Kat stated.

"Well anyway I have a big favor to ask you and you can say no." Kim commented as Kat nodded. "I need someone to run the office while I am gone and I wondered if you wouldn't mind."

"What about Karen? I mean she is like your second-in-command." She said.

"Well Karen likes to be out on the floor and she would prefer if I picked someone else to work in the office." She explained.

"I guess if you think I can." Kat stated.

Kim looked at her and nodded. "It is mostly just basic paperwork and answering the phone which rarely rings." Kim explained.

"I can handle that; just leave me instructions on basic stuff." Kat said as Kim nodded.

"Thank you now I have to get down on the floor to show the girls some more moves before the end of practice." Kim said getting up. Kat followed her down and saw Tommy sitting in the parent's area. She made her way over there while Kim got to work.

XXXX

"Kat what are you doing here?" Tommy asked as she sat down next to him.

"Kim asked me to come here and have me meet Greg." Kat said with a smile.

"What? You met Greg?" He asked looking from her to Kim who was talking to the girls.

"Yea and we are going out tonight." She said as Tommy breathed a sigh of relief. "Are you worried about Kim liking Greg?" She asked.

"No of course not, I mean oh, yea I'm worried that she will realized that she has more in common with Greg than me." He said slowly as Kat nodded.

"I don't think that you have anything to worry about with her and Greg." She said.

"Kim told me the same thing." He said.

"Well its true, Kimberly loves you and only you. Also Kim is not Greg's type." She said with a smile.

"How do you know that?" He asked really looking at her.

"He told me before he asked me out. His last girlfriend was an elite gymnast turned coach that just couldn't get over the fact that she wasn't good anymore." She said crossing her legs. "He thinks Kim is great but he's not attracted to her in any way." She informed him with a smile.

"Kat, you know that you are the best sometimes." He said pulling her into a hug as she laughed.

"I'm sure that Kim told you that she loved you and wasn't leaving you for him." She stated as he pulled back.

"Yea she did but I didn't want him to be like Sam and totally be in love with her either." He said as Kat nodded. She finally understood why Tommy had been nervous about Greg. He was worried that Kim would have to deal with another crazy man at work. He did trust Kim but not Greg.

"I'm glad that I told you then." She said. They both turned to watch Kim take off running and perform some kind of flip that Kat had no idea what it was called. She was sure that Tommy knew though since he had made it his mission to know every move that Kim could do that. She never really understood why until now. He really liked knowing what she was doing. It was also impressive that he knew the moves even though he wasn't a gymnast.

XXXX

"Okay girls that's enough for today." Kim said as the girls nodded and walked away.

"Wow how much do you practice?" Greg asked walking toward her.

"Uh well every day before the girls show up." She said with a smile.

"It shows, I did not expect that." He said as Kat and Tommy joined them.

"Didn't expect what?" Tommy asked.

"He didn't expect that I could still do the moves." Kim said kissing his check.

"Yea well try to keep her off the beam." Tommy said with a smile.

"I think that I will just let her do her thing." He said looking at Kim. "Anyway are you ready to go, Katherine?" He asked as Kim hid her smile.

"Yea I am." She said taking his hand. Kim and Tommy watched them walk out hand-in-hand.

"Did you really have to set them up?" Tommy asked as she nodded. "Of course you did." He said with a smile. "They fit." He said.

"They looked great together." She said slipping her arm around his waist.

"Please tell me that you are not doing anything to embarrass me in front of the entire gym." Kaylie said from behind them.

"No just talking." Kim said as Tommy turned red. Kim smiled at his rosy checks.

"Yea right." Kaylie said with a smile. "I'm hungry. Can we go to Hayley's?" She asked as Kim laughed.

"I'm hungry too." Kim said looking up at Tommy.

He looked at both of them and gave up the fight. They were the two most precious people in his life and he couldn't say no to them. "Yea come on, I will feed my women." He said slinging his arm around both of them.

"Your women? I don't think I like that." Kim said as Kaylie nodded in agreement.

"Whatever, now come on." He said walking them to his Jeep.

"What about my car?" Kim asked pointing to it across the parking lot.

"I can bring you back after we eat if that's okay." He said as she nodded. Kaylie climbed in the back seat as Kim got in the front seat. Tommy walked around to his side and got in. His stomach growled as he cranked the Jeep.

"It sounds like we were not the only ones who were hungry." Kaylie pointed out as Kim laughed.

"Yea I guess so." He said pulling out of the parking lot.

XXXX

So what did everyone think? Please let me know. The next chapter should be out soon.


	18. Paris

A/N: Okay so I don't own anything but the concept. I hope that everyone likes this chapter.

XXXX

"Thanks for dinner." Kim said opening her door while still looking at him.

"You're very welcome." Tommy said with a smile. "Are you sure that you want to go home tonight?" He asked looking at her.

"I'll be fine so don't worry." She said leaning over and kissing his check. "Now you need to get back to make sure that niece goes to bed." She said jumping out of the Jeep. Kaylie had asked to be dropped off first so that she could get ready for bed and get the bathroom before Tommy. He waited until she got in and cranked her car. She had looked around it just in case someone had tried to slice her tires again. He let her pull out of the parking lot and followed her home. Knowing Kim she would be rolling her eyes at him following her but he was worried about her. Watching her walk into her house, he smiled before driving away. She might not like him following her home but he rather enjoyed watching over her.

XXXX

Kim threw down her bag and slipped off her shoes. She pulled the rubber band out of her hair and ran her hands through it. It felt amazing to be home even though she was tired from a long day at the gym then dinner with Tommy and Kaylie. Walking into her bedroom, she heard the phone ring. It had to be Kat and she was excited because she really wanted to hear about her date.

"Kat how was your date?" Kim asked as soon as she picked up the phone. She had seen that it was Kat on the caller ID when she picked the phone up.

"_I won't even ask if you looked at the caller ID but yea the date was great." _Kat said before filling Kim in on all the details. Greg had taken her to eat at the Youth Center because she had suggested it. He had met Ernie, Bulk, and Skull and claimed that he loved the food. They had walked around town after that and had gotten ice cream before sitting by the lake. Kat knew the reason that Kim loved the lake so much. It was peaceful and just gave you a sense of peace in an ever changing world.

"Well I'm glad that you had fun." Kim said. They talked for a little bit longer before hanging up. Kim had to get to bed.

XXXX

_Two Weeks Later_

"I'm sorry Dr. Oliver; you cannot be off for that time. We have our annual assessment tests that whole week." Principal Randall told him. She felt sorry for him but those tests were important for the school.

"The tests are that week?" Tommy asked shaking his head. How had he forgotten that?

"Yes they are and if you would've read your memos you would have known that already." Randall said before walking away from him. She had a school to run. Rubbing his face, Tommy groaned. He wanted to go to Paris and watch Kaylie perform but apparently he would be stuck here handing out tests. At least Kim would be there with Kaylie and he did have a TV in his room so he could watch the match during his breaks if Randall Okayed it.

XXXX

"Now tuck." Kim said as Alex flipped back in the tucked position. Kim watched as Alex's feet came down on the beam in perfect secession. "Good job." Kim said before backing away to let Alex finished her routine. She was trying to up her routine for Paris and she was getting better with each flip. Some of the moves were difficult but Alex was doing well with them.

"So did Kat agree to work in the office?" Karen asked standing next to her.

"Yea she did so you can relax about working in the office while I'm gone." Kim said with a smile. Alex flipped off the beam and actually took a step back. Kim wondered if her dismount was just too much for her. She would watch her over the week and see if Alex needed to change it back.

"Give her time; I think that she can handle the new dismount." Karen said causing Kim to look at her.

"How do you know what I was thinking about?" She asked.

"Well I saw the step back too and then your look and I know you." She said with a smile.

"Oh whatever and I am giving her a week. If its not perfect by then, she is not performing it in Paris." Kim said as Karen nodded. She agreed with Kim. She also didn't want Alex to get hurt trying to do a move that wouldn't raise her score that much.

"I'll watch her and let you know if you want." Karen stated.

Kim shook her head before answering. "No, I'll watch her don't worry about it." Kim said before walking away to check on the other girls. She wanted to make sure that the new moves each girl was trying out were within that girl's ability.

XXXX

Tommy walked in later that day and looked for Kim. He didn't see her on the floor so that meant that she was in the office. Making his way up the stairs, he saw her through the windows. She was sitting behind her desk talking on the phone. He stopped just inside the door frame and waited for her to get off the phone. From the sound of it, it sounded like she was talking to someone on the National Committee.

"Okay thank you and I will. Bye." Kim said while hanging up the phone. "Tommy." She said looking up and seeing him standing there.

"Everything alright?" He asked walking into her office. He sat down on the couch and watched her get up and walk over to him.

"Yea just arranging travel plans for Paris. How are you?" She asked sitting down next to him.

Tommy sighed before answering. "I can't come with you to Paris." He said taking her hand in his.

"Randall won't let you off? I thought you asked off weeks ago." She said with a smile.

"Well I forgot and thought it won't be a big deal if I asked today." He said rubbing his face.

"But it is." She said as he nodded. "Its alright just ask off for Spain next week." She said with a smile.

"I guess and the reason that she won't let me off is because our assessment tests are the same week." He said as she laughed. She wished that he could be there in Paris with her but knew that he did have a job that won't just let him fly out at a moment's notice. She would miss him but knew that he would be watching the broadcast any moment that he could.

XXXX

_Two Weeks Later_

"So has Kim called you?" Jason asked grabbing a coke from Tommy's fridge.

"Yea they landed about an hour ago. She said that they were checking into the hotel then out to dinner. Tomorrow they have a press conference before the first round of competition starts." He said leaning back on the couch.

"Well at least you can watch Kaylie perform on your laptop." He said as Tommy nodded. Randall had told him that he could watch the competition while his students took their test. She had also told him that he couldn't watch it on the TV in case the students got distracted so the laptop was his best choice. He just had to look up every once in a while to make sure that they didn't cheat which would be almost impossible. There would be five different tests in the room so really no chance of cheating.

"Is anyone else coming by to check on me?" He asked while Jason smiled. He knew that Tommy would figure out why he was really here. Kim had asked someone to at least check on Tommy once a day to make sure that he didn't burn down the house or go on the attack with nothing to do.

"Yea we are having a cookout later today." He said as Tommy laughed. Everyone wanted to make sure that he was alright with both Kaylie and Kim gone. He had some really great friends which he was grateful for. They were his family.

XXXX

"Okay Kaylie you are first up on the beam. Take a deep breath and smile. Remember that this is your time to shine." Kim said as Kaylie nodded. She ran through her routine once again in her head. She had less than an hour to get ready. The press conference had shaken her up a little but Kim had been great. You could tell that this was her element and she loved the press. It was like she could take even the craziest question and turned it to her advantage. There was a reason why the National Committee selected her for this job. She was great at it. Kaylie remembered that they had called her America's Sweetheart which was the same thing that they had called her when she was competing.

"What was it like when you competed here?" She asked Kim. The other girls were lost in their own little worlds running through their routines and blocking out the crowd.

"It was great. Paris was my first international stage too." Kim said with a smile. "My mom and step-dad live here." She said as Kaylie nodded.

"Yea I watched you and you did amazing." Kaylie said as Kim smiled and nodded.

"Thank you but you need to focus on you and how you are going to beat my score." Kim said as Kaylie nodded.

"I'll try." She said.

"I know you will." Kim stated before backing away to give her time. Kim looked at her girls and knew that they were prepared for this. They could win everything as long as they focused on their routine.

XXXX

Tommy passed out the tests and let the students get started. They had two hours to take this portion of the test. Sitting back down he watched as the girls walked out and spread out around the gym. He watched Kim and the girls lined up behind the balance beam. Apparently that would be their first event. He only wished that he could listen to the broadcast instead of just watching it. He wondered who would take the beam first as the girls were introduced for each country. It was going to be a long day.

XXXX

Kim stood back as Kaylie prepared to walk over to the beam. She knew that Tommy was watching it and was probably swearing under his breath that he couldn't hear the broadcast. She had it taping at home for him though and would show it to him when she got back. Looking up she saw the nod from the judges and Kaylie's wave. Kaylie took her place and flipped onto the beam. It made an odd sound but maybe it was a different supplier than where she bought hers. She watched Kaylie complete her first pass and started her next when the unthinkable happened.

XXXX

Tommy watched as Kaylie flipped and landed perfectly before pausing. It was time for her second pass but it was also time to take his turn around the room. Getting up he walked the room over before sitting back down. He didn't know what was going on only that the camera was now on the Russian team who was competing on the uneven bars. What had happened with Kaylie? He wanted to know her score and watched as the broadcast cut away to a commercial that promised him his video would be back in two minutes.

XXXX

Kimberly rushed towards Kaylie who hadn't move since her fall. She had just flipped and as her feet came down on the beam, it came apart. The beam just fell out from under her and she fell with it. It had looked like she had hit her head pretty hard on the beam before hitting the mat. Kneeling down beside her had Kim praying that everything was alright.

"Miss, we need to get to her." A paramedic said as Kim nodded and backed away. She watched as they checked Kaylie over before putting on an e-collar and loading her onto a gurney. She followed them outside to the ambulance. The assistant coaches would take care of the other girls, she was going with Kaylie. She needed someone that she knew with her in the ambulance and at the hospital.

XXXX

Tommy was still waiting for the broadcast to come back on when he heard his phone. He had set it on vibrate. Grabbing it out of his pocket, he saw that it was Kim. Kaylie must have done well but he couldn't talk to her right now. There was still an hour and half left of the test. He would call her as soon as the test was finished. She would just have to wait until he had a free moment.

XXXX

"Crap!" Kim said under her breath. Tommy must still be in the test. She needed to talk to him now. She was shaking as she looked down at Kaylie in front of her. The paramedic was checking her over but Kaylie was showing no response. She didn't know what was wrong only that she needed to talk to Tommy. She dialed his number again and got the voicemail but she refused to leave this on his voicemail. Ending the call, she dialed Jason. She had to talk to someone.

XXXX

"Hey, why are you calling me while your girls are competing?" Jason asked her biting into his sandwich. He was on lunch break at the moment.

"_Jason, I need you to go get Tommy and drive him to the airport."_ Kim said causing Jason to paused. Something in Kim's voice had him doing as she asked without asking first.

"Tell me and you tell me now Kimberly Anne what is going on?" He asked grabbing his keys before walking out the door of the gym.

"_Kaylie fell and hit her head. They are transported her to the hospital right now. Please make sure that Tommy gets here safely."_ She said as Jason agreed. He cranked his truck and broke every speed limit between his gym and Reefside High School. Tommy was not going to like this. Flipping open his phone, he called his wife and had her to call everyone else. Pulling up outside the school, he jumped out and made his way to the Principal's office. Randall was just going to have to understand that Tommy had to leave now.

XXXX

"I'm sorry, I don't understand." Kim said as the doctor tried once again to tell her what was going on.

"He said that they are concerned about the fact that she hasn't awaken and that there is bleeding on the brain." A woman said behind her. Spinning around, Kim ran to her mother and step-father. "How are you baby?" Carolina asked hugging her daughter close to her. She rubbed her back as Pierre talked to the doctor to get more facts before he left them.

"I'm scared and I don't know what to do. Tommy isn't answering the phone and now I can't understand the doctor and nurses here." Kim cried into her mother's shoulder.

"Kimberly, we are here until you find out something. She is going to be okay." Carolina said stroking Kim's hair. "You have to believe that."

"I hope so. I can't lose that girl in there. Tommy can't lose her." Kim said before breaking down completely in her mother's arms. Pierre walked back over to them and rubbed Kim's back. There was something that the doctor wasn't saying but since none of them were close family he couldn't tell them anything more. They would all pray for Kaylie's fast recovery.

XXXX

"I'm sorry but Dr. Oliver is in testing right now." Randall said as Trini burst through the door. Jason should have known that Trini would come here to help.

"I don't care where he is only that he needs to be replaced right now." She said with her hands on her hips.

"I'm sorry but no." Randall said again as Trini grabbed her shirt.

"You listen and you listen well. Tommy's niece is lying in a hospital bed in Paris, France and he needs to be on the redeye at this moment. Now call in another teacher while you wait in Tommy's class." Trini said as Jason grabbed her hands.

"Trini let her go." He said as Trini release her and took a step back.

"Okay, since its his niece." Randall said as Trini opened the door and took off running. Jason was right on her heels and she jerked open the door.

"Trini, Jason, what are you doing here?" He asked calmly standing up. Had Kim called them when he didn't answer the phone? She knew that he was in class and would call her back when he got out. There was no need to have Jason and Trini bring him her scores.

"Tommy we need to go." Jason said as Tommy looked into his best friend's eyes. Something wasn't right as he felt his knees buckle. Jason grabbed his arm and helped him out of the class room and into Trini's SUV.

"What's going on?" He asked trying to control his heart rate.

"Kaylie fell off the beam and Kim needs to you get to Paris as soon as possible." Trini said taking the curb on two tires.

"Whoa Trini don't kill us before he gets to Paris." Jason said holding onto the arm rest.

"Kaylie fell?" Tommy asked in a whisper. He remembered Kim's fall all too well. It had almost killed him to see her in the hospital bed but now it was his niece. This sport would be the death of him.

"Well actually the beam fell then she fell but that's not important right now. Kim just needs you to get there." Jason explained as he nodded. Trini pulled up at his house as he jumped out and ran in. He had to find his passport and he had no clue where it was.

"Where's your bag?" Trini asked as he pointed to his closet. "Okay then I will get this packed for you while you search for your passport." She said as he nodded. Five minutes later he was still searching while she zipped his bag.

"Guys I can't find my passport." He said running his hand through his hair. "What am I going to do?" He asked.

"Teleport." Jason said.

"Yea teleport, you will not have to worry about getting a plane ticket to Paris on short notice." Trini said.

"Okay please find my passport and bring it with you when you come." He said grabbing his bag as they nodded. He knew that they would be flying to Paris as soon as they could get there.

"Please be careful." Trini said as he nodded. She hugged him before he stepped back and teleported to Paris. They both hoped that he landed somewhere that there wasn't too many people. It was nighttime now so hopefully no one would see him.

XXXX

"Okay so no reaction so far and there is more bleeding on the brain. They are going to rush her into surgery right to ease the pressure on her brain." Pierre said as Kim nodded. She was happy that her stepdad and mom was here with her. She still couldn't get ahold of Tommy and she really needed to hear his voice if only to calm her nerves and have him take over for her.

XXXX

_Two Hours Later_

"So Tommy teleported to France, I didn't know he could teleport that far." Rocky said packing his bag.

"Billy said that he should get there and Tommy couldn't find his passport at the time." Aisha said zipping her bag. "Trini found it after he left in his sock drawer. Why he would keep it there who knows." She stated.

"Okay so when is our flight?" He asked throwing in another pair of socks before zipping his bag.

"In an hour so we need to go." She said as he nodded. "We are meeting Jason and Trini at the airport." She explained walking out of their bedroom. Everyone else would stay here so that they didn't overwhelm the hospital and get thrown out.

XXXX

"The nurse said that they hadn't found the bleed yet but they are still looking." Pierre said as Kim jumped up from the chair.

"What? They don't know where she is bleeding? What are they doing then?" She cried.

"What's going on?" Tommy asked standing behind her. She spun around and ran into his open arms. He dropped his bag and pulled her close. She was shaking as was he. His niece was apparently being operated on while he had just gotten here.

"The beam fell causing her to hit her head as she fell too." Kim explained into his shoulder as he nodded. It was then that he noticed Carolina and Pierre sitting in the corner. He was glad that they were here for Kim. He just wished that he could see Kaylie if only for a moment.

XXXX

"Tommy has made it and Kaylie is in surgery for the time. She has a bleed on the brain and they are trying to ease the pressure." Billy explained to Kat, Adam, Tanya, Hayley, Zack, and Angela.

"Okay so we need to get Tommy's Jeep and Jason's truck from Reefside High School while we wait for more news." Kat stated as everyone agreed. They had to do something or they would go crazy waiting for news.

XXXX

_An Hour Later_

"They found the bleed and you can go back there to see her." Pierre said for the doctor.

"Okay." Kim said as Tommy grabbed her hand and they followed the doctor down the hall to the patient's room. Moving past him, they walked into the room and saw Kaylie in the bed. She had her head wrapped in white gauze but Kim could tell that she still had hair which she thought was odd. If they were looking for the bleed why didn't they cut her hair to do it? She watched as Tommy sat down in the chair and took one of Kaylie's hands in his. This was harder than she thought it would be. She knew that this was how Tommy felt when she had fallen in high school. Tubes were going everywhere that it was hard to tell where one stopped and another one started. She walked around to the other side and took Kaylie's other hand in hers.

"Kaylie its Uncle Tommy, I'm right here." He whispered. It had shaken him more than he thought it would to see Kaylie in that bed. Something shifted in him as he looked over at Kim. His niece wouldn't be in this bed if she hadn't been doing gymnastics and he won't have had to teleport to a foreign country just to see his niece in the hospital bed if she hadn't been on the National Team. Kim was responsible for Kaylie being in this bed.

"As well as me, Kaylie. Now you need to open your eyes and let us know that you are alright." Kim said as Tommy looked up at her. She could tell that something was broken in him but she didn't know what.

"What makes you think that you belong here?" He asked causing her to really look at him. He added up all the facts came up with Kim being the bad guy. If he had been in his right mind though he probably would have guarded his words more.  
"What? What's wrong with you?" She asked moving to his side.

"You did this to her." He said. Each word pierced her heart. Something had happened from the waiting room to now and she didn't know what to say.

"I don't…" She started.

"No you don't. You made her good enough to get hurt. She was trying to be great for you not for herself. I shouldn't have let her go to your gym that day. I should have said no. This wouldn't be happening now. She won't be in this bed." He said. Looking at him, she saw that he meant that and he was right. If it hadn't been for her then Kaylie won't be here. She had even challenged Kaylie to beat her score. Kaylie was in that bed because of her.

"I'll leave you two alone." She said walking away from him. She knew that he was in pain because that girl was everything to him much more than she was. The best thing was to walk away. He might change his mind later but then again it was Tommy. It was hard to change his mind once he made it up.

XXXX

_Three Hours Later_

"Coach Hart?" The policeman asked as she walked into the gym. She had decided to return to the gym and see what was going on with the beam.

"Yes that's me. Can you tell me what happened?" She asked pointing to the beam that was still on the floor. She saw that there were several policemen still around the beam.

"Someone loosen the screws on it. One way or another she was not finishing that routine." The man said as Kim nodded. She didn't like the fact that someone had done this. Kaylie could've died because of someone's carelessness if that's what it was.

"Well then it's a good thing that it came down when it did." She said looking from the beam to the officer. He looked a shock at what she had said.

"Why?" He asked looking at her trying to figure out if she was responsible for her gymnast's fall. If so then he would have questions for her and he would have to contact the National Committee on her behavior.

"Because her next move was a double arabian and she would have broken her neck if she fell then." Kim said before walking away. She had thought about what Tommy had said at the hospital and he was right. She would have to stay away from Kaylie for now.

XXXX

"Where's Kim?" Jason asked as he walked into the waiting room. They had just gotten off the plane and made their way directly to the hospital.

"I told her to leave." Tommy said holding his cup of coffee. Carolina and Pierre had left after Kimberly. Tommy hadn't even spoken with them but then again they were Kim's family not his. His family was still unconscious in the hospital bed.

"What? Why?" Trini asked looking at him. She could tell that something was off with him. Something had happened between them.

"Because Kaylie is in here because of her." He stated without looking at them. Rocky and Aisha just looked at him while Jason punched the wall next to him. Trini sighed and sat down in the nearest chair.

"What did you say to her?" Jason said trying to control his anger. His hand was on fire but right now he needed to get to the bottom of Tommy's problem.

"I told her to leave. Jason I have made my decision. At this moment, I am Kaylie's only family here." Tommy stated calmly. "Now if you will excuse me I need to get back to my niece." He said turning away from him.

"What is going on here? I just don't believe that Tommy told Kim to leave." Aisha said.

"I should beat him up for that but we need to find Kim." Jason said as they nodded. The four of them left the hospital in search of Kim.

XXXX

"Is Kaylie going to be alright?" Alex asked.

"They are not sure but they have high hopes." Kim said controlling her voice. This was breaking her in two.

"We do we do now?" Whitney asked. Kim looked at her girls and knew that she would have to be strong for them. They had lost one of their own and they didn't know what to do.

"The competition will continue tomorrow but for now just get some rest and try not to think about Kaylie's fall." Kim stated as the girls nodded. This was going to be harder than she thought as she watched the girls walk away. Looking around her room, she was tempted to go back to the hospital and make Tommy listen to reason but that would not be a good idea given his frame of mind.

XXXX

"Uncle Tommy?" Kaylie asked as Tommy grabbed her hand.

"I'm here." He said pushing the call button with the other hand.

"Where is here?" She asked opening her eyes and looked around.

"You are in the hospital. You fell off the beam or rather fell with the beam." He explained as a nurse came in.

"Is something wrong?" The nurse asked in broken English.

"My niece is awake." He said as she nodded before leaving the room. He didn't know what to make of that when she came back with the doctor. He watched as they checked Kaylie's reactions with a light in her eyes and tested her grip power.

"Mr. Oliver, your niece is doing remarkably well." The doctor said slowly. Tommy nodded before looking back at Kaylie. "I shall arrange her transfer as soon as possible." The doctor stated drawing his attention back to him.

"Is she okay to be moved?" He asked clearly concerned.

"We will wait a few more hours but yes she will be okay to be moved." He said before walking away. Tommy sat back down.

"Where is Kim?" Kaylie asked in the silence.

"Don't worry about talking right now. You need to conserve your strength." He said taking her hand.

XXXX

"Kim?" Trini asked as she knocked on her hotel room door.

"Just turn the knob, its Kim." Jason said as Rocky nodded. Trini sighed and turned the knob. It opened to reveal Kim sitting by the window.

"Kim?" Aisha asked this time walking over to her.

"How's Kaylie?" Kim asked without turning. Jason felt like going back and hitting Tommy for this.

"We don't know. Tommy told us to leave." Jason said.

"Well actually he told us that he was Kaylie's only family here right now." Rocky said correcting Jason.

"The point is how are you?" Trini asked sitting down next to her best friend.

"Ready for this to be over, Tommy asked me to leave." She stated as she turned to look at them. Trini and Aisha held back their grasps. Kim's eyes were hollow as if someone had just taken out her heart and left a lump of coal in its place.

"We know, sweetie." Aisha said grabbing her hand.

"Please just let me be alone for now but thank you for checking on me." Kim said as they nodded. They left the room even though none of them wanted too but they done as she asked.

"So what do we do now?" Rocky asked.

"Not sure but our plane leaves in two hours." Aisha pointed out. Since they had made their travel plans quickly they didn't realize that their return flight was the same day as they arrived. It had been a pure mistake but one that they couldn't change without losing money.

"We can check on Kaylie before we leave." Aisha suggested as they nodded. Hopefully Tommy would at least tell them how Kaylie was doing.

XXXX

Kim was jarred awake when the voice said fasten your seats. They would be touching down in five minutes. Looking around she saw that the girls were ready to get off the plane. They had their medals around their necks so that their parents saw them as soon as they stepped off the plane. She was very proud of her girls; they had pulled together after Kaylie's accident and won the team Gold for her. Looking at the bag under the seat in front of her she almost cried. In it was Kaylie's Gold Medal because she was still part of the team even though she had been in the hospital at the time.

She had learned before the competition that Kaylie had been transferred back to the States. Trini and Aisha had been giving her updates. They had been sneaking into the hospital to see Kaylie when Tommy wasn't there. Apparently she wasn't the only one that he told to stay away. She had remembered that they had said something to that effect but she thought that once Tommy had Kaylie home he would have changed his mind about anyone not family being around her but she guessed not. It was Tommy and he didn't really change his mind too often and she was too tried to fight him.

"Okay girls have fun with your parents and you don't have to worry about coming in tomorrow. Just get some rest." Kim said as they stood up and made their way off the plane. She suddenly realized that she didn't have a ride. Tommy had dropped her and Kaylie off. Sighing she pulled out her phone and turned it back on. She would call Jason once she picked up her baggage. She hoped that he could get away to come and pick her up.

XXXX

Kim made her way to the pick-up zone. Jason had told her that he was already on his way because he knew that her car was still at her house. She had almost cried over the fact that Jason was coming to get her. She didn't even have to ask him, he just took it upon himself to come get her. Stepping outside she saw Jason drive up in his red truck.

"You don't look so good." Jason said grabbing her bag and throwing it in the bag of his truck. He was worried about her. It had been a long couple of days for all of them. She had been in Paris cut off from her friends while they had all been here cut off from her. He couldn't tell how much that had damaged her but he would find out.

"I'm just tired that's all." She said getting in and closing her eyes.

"Kaylie's doing great by the way. She was released this morning." He said getting in on his side. He figured that she would want to know about Kaylie and since she and Tommy weren't talking he told her.

"I know. Trini called me before I boarded." She explained. He let it drop and just drove her home in silence. He could tell that she was hurting more than she wanted him to know. Hopefully a few days at home would help heal her broken heart. Maybe Tommy would finally see reason and talk to Kim. If they could at least talk about whatever was going on it would be easy for everyone else. This was probably worse than when they had broken up in high school. They had been on opposite sides of the country at the time, now they are just twenty minutes from each other with one very special young woman between them.

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Okay so what did everyone think? Please let me know. The next chapter will be out soon since I already have it done and I may post it early if I get a lot of requests to do so. Anyway don't forget to let me know what you thought.


	19. Breaking Point

A/N: Okay since everyone asked for this chapter early, I am posting it now. I hope that everyone likes this chapter.

XXXX

"Thanks Jason." Kim said as he nodded. He watched her go into her house before driving away. He missed his little sister because the woman he had just dropped off was not the same Kim that had gone to Paris a week ago. Flipping open his phone, he called his wife. She might have a plan on how to help Kim and Tommy without actually locking them up somewhere and making them talk which was his and Rocky's plan.

XXXX

"Now take it easy, Kaylie." Tommy said as Kaylie sighed. Her uncle had been hovering the past day and half and she was tired of it. She just wanted to get back to the gym and start working out again.

"Go away. I am fine." She said sitting down on the couch. "Why don't you call Kim so that I can ask her how the rest of the competition went?" She suggested since she had not gotten to see or hear how everyone had done.

"I don't think so and I don't want you to think about anything gymnastics." He said going into the kitchen.

"Why not? I mean the doctor told me that I could go back in a few weeks and even go to Spain if I make the cut." She said.

Tommy stood in the doorway looking at his niece on the couch. It was a full minute before he spoke. "Kaylie, I don't think that it's a good idea for you to go back to gymnastics. You could have died from that fall and I won't have that." He said as she looked at him. She really didn't know what to say. "I have already called the gym and told them that you won't be back." He commented.

"What?" She screamed jumping up. "This is my life and you have no say so in it other than what my parents give you. I am a gymnast and falling is all part of it. I am going back to the sport as soon as the doctor clears me and you cannot stop me." She said storming off to her room. Tommy sighed. He knew that this would be hard but she just had to accept that she was not doing gymnastics again. He couldn't risk losing her.

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_Two Weeks Later_

"When is Kaylie coming back? I thought that the doctor cleared her." Alex said as Kim groaned. This was the third time today someone had asked about Kaylie. The doctor had apparently cleared Kaylie for gymnastics yesterday. Hayley had informed her last night on the phone after Aisha had told her. Everyone thought that she wanted to know about Kaylie which she did but only from one person and he wasn't calling her. He was still mad at her or at least that's what she thought because it gave her some hope. If he was still mad then it meant that he still cared about her.

"I don't think that Kaylie is coming back. Now why don't we get back to practice." She said as Alex nodded. All the girls missed Kaylie apparently because they had asked her everyday about Kaylie. She was getting tired of this. Looking back the girl, she made her way into her office. Kat was at lunch for the moment so she had it to herself. Sitting at her computer, she checked the police report that the National Committee had emailed to her. Reading over it, she saw that the police had no clue on how the screws were loosen but something was bugging her. It could have been a careless mistake but she didn't think so. Nothing else had been tampered with which made her think that the person had just wanted to harm the American team and she could think of only person that would want to do that. Picking up the phone, she called the National Committee and told them her thoughts. They told her that they would check things out and let her know if she was correct. If she was then she would have to pay him a visit and he wouldn't like what she had to say to him. After this bombshell she needed to clear her mind and the one place that she could was downstairs. Once the girls left, she would take her turn on the beam.

XXXX

"So how long is she going to act like this?" Greg asked Karen as Kim flipped onto the beam. It was after practice and once again she was on the beam. She waited until the girls left before working herself to the bone. He was not use to seeing this side of Kim and it kind of scared him a little.

"Not sure but she won't talk to me." Karen said as he nodded. He had also tried to talk to her as well but it didn't help. She was still coaching the girls the best that she always did but she was more aloof now though and that was not like her.

"She's losing weight." He pointed out breaking the silence.

"I know but I'm not sure if its from all the working out or the not eating." She commented.

"What can we do to help?" He asked looking at her from Kim. "She can't go on like this."

"Well the one I would call is the reason that she's up there." Karen stated. "And besides she isn't really talking to her other friends except for Katherine but then again she works here for Kim."

Greg sighed and looked back at Kim. She had been on the beam for about an hour now and on the one hand he was impressed that she could be up there that long and not weaken but on the other he was worried. He knew that only a broken heart could cause this much practice.

"What are you talking about?" Kat asked walking up behind them.

"Kim." They both said.

"Oh I know but according to the others, Tommy is just as bad. Kaylie even called and told me that she would be back at the gym as soon as the doctor gave his okay." Kat stated.

"Apparently he told her yesterday that she could come back." Karen informed them.

"That explains the conversation I had with Kaylie earlier." Kat said looking back at Kim on the beam.

"Well one way or another there will be an explosion at Pink Crane Gymnastics." Karen said as Greg and Kat nodded.

"I guess that we will brace for the fireworks then." Greg said as Kat laughed. They turned to watch Kim finally dismount from the beam.

XXXX

Kim got out of the shower and groaned. She was too old to be on the beam every night but it helped her clear her head. She might need to look into something else to keep her from thinking about Tommy. Tomorrow night she would find something else and hopefully find a way to stop thinking about Tommy all together. Alcohol might need to be looked into. She had heard that it could erase you thoughts for at least a night anyway.

XXXX

Tommy groaned as he heard Kaylie crank the music up. She was torturing him now. Since she couldn't leave the house, she wanted to make sure that he did. How was he supposed to take care of her if he left? Flipping on the TV, he tried his best to ignore her. He needed to do something because he was going crazy from just being at home with her. Turning the TV back off, he made his way to the basement. He would practice some karate to clear his mind and if that didn't work he would find his old punching bag and just lay into it. He really needed to hit something.

XXXX

The next day after practice, Kim changed into the clothes that she had bought from home. Looking in the mirror, she had to smile. It had been a long time since she had worn this dress. It was a little loose but that was from all the extra nights on the beam. She won't worry about that now though because she was going out tonight. Walking out of the locker rooms she spotted Karen by the door.

"So no beam tonight?" Karen asked looking at what Kim was dressed in. She had to admit that Kim looked hot in her hot pink dress tube dress and strappy black sandals.

"Uh, well no. I'm going out since its Friday night. Don't forget to lock up." Kim said before walking away from her. Karen just stood there trying to figure out if Kim going out was a good thing or not. This would open a can of worms that she wasn't sure that Kim could handle. She just hoped that Kim didn't have any alcohol on her night out.

"Wow, Kim looks hot. Where is she going?" Kat asked from behind Karen.

"Out apparently but she didn't tell me where." She said turning to face Katherine.

"Well one thing is for sure, she is going to have some kind of fun." She said as Karen just stared at her. She wasn't sure that was a good thing either. Kim needed to talk to Tommy and she needed to do it soon.

XXXX

"Where do you think you're going?" Tommy asked as Kaylie walked past him. "You don't say hello anymore?" He asked as she spun around to face him.

"What more do you want? You have taken everything away from me, so no I don't feel like saying hello." She said crossing her arms across her chest.

"You shouldn't be talking to me like that, young lady." He said.

"No I shouldn't be talking to you at all." She said turning back around and left him standing there.

"What does that mean?" He asked following her into her room.

"I talked to Kat and she said that you told everyone to stay away. What I want to know is why?" She asked throwing her bag in the corner. She had gone to the gym only to turn around and come back after she had spoken with Kat.

"You were hurt and almost died." He stated as if that told her all she needed to know.

"Yes but they wanted to be near me and you but you deny them that." She said.

"They are not family and you are." He replied.

"I think that's where you are wrong. They are your family and have been longer than me." She said as he sighed. "Also you need to talk to Kimberly, my fall wasn't her fault. The screws had been loosened before I got on the beam." She said looking away from him to her Gold Medal on her desk. She had gotten it in the mail a week ago from Kim. She had been a little hurt that Kim mailed it but now she realized why she did. Uncle Tommy had told her to leave and that's what she did for him. She left Kaylie alone.

"What? What did you just say?" He asked taking her shoulders in his hands and spun her around.

"I said that the screws were not screwed in all the way, that's why I fell not because of Kimberly." She said.

"Oh my God." He said releasing her shoulders. She looked at him and wondered what was going through his mind when his phone rang. "Hello?" He asked as he answered it.

"_Tommy? This is Luke down at The Watering Hole."_ The man said.

"Yea Luke, what's going on?" Tommy asked trying to process what Kaylie had just told him. Someone had done this to his niece.

"_Yea I got a woman here who is muttering your name after every drink and I have to tell you that she has had a lot of drinks. I think she said her name was Kimberly Hart but I know that she is a Gold Medalist."_ He said as Tommy groaned. Kim was drunk and muttering his name? This was not good. Jason would so blame him for this especially if Kim got in her car being that drunk.

"Okay I will be there in about five minutes." He said before hanging up. "Okay your parents will be here in a little bit that's what I wanted to tell you when you came in. I may not be back tonight so don't wait up but we will continue this discussion when I get back." He said as she nodded. Tommy grabbed his jacket and car keys and headed to the local bar. She must not have wanted anyone in Angel Grove to see her drunk at a bar so she came to Reefside. It was a good thing that Luke had called him. He had taught Luke's son last year so they knew each other a little. Kim was crying out for help if she was in a bar drinking and he intended to be there and answer her cry because it was his fault that she was there anyway.

XXXX

"You know what I think this vodka gets better with each drink." Kim said finishing up another glass. "Hit me." She said as Luke nodded and did as she asked. "You know that I am a catch. I mean why would I even think about Tommy. He told me to go so that's what I need to do. I need to move on." Kim slurred as she drank another shot. Luke filled it again and sighed as Tommy walked in and sat down beside Kim. He motioned for him to leave which Luke was more than happy to do. Tommy could handle this little spitfire while he got back to his job.

"Kimberly." Tommy said as Kim tried to look over at him. She wasn't really sitting to well at the moment.

"What are you doing here?" She asked. He winced when he saw her blood-shot eyes. She was way beyond drunk.

"I'm here to take you home." He said moving the glass away from her.

"Oh I don't think so. You told me in Paris so now I'm telling you, leave." She said grabbing the glass. Tommy sighed and just went caveman on her. She would thank him later. Taking the glass away from her, he grabbed her purse before throwing her over his shoulder.

"Do you have her card on file?" He asked Luke as he nodded. Tommy smiled before walking out the door with her screaming at him. He heard all the cat calls from the bar as he made his way outside.

"PUT ME DOWN!" She screamed as she pounded into his back with her tiny fists. He really didn't feel each punch through his jacket though.

"I don't think so." He said making his way to his Jeep.

"What about my car. I'm not riding back with you. I can drive myself." She said.

"Uh, no you are not driving and we can get your car later." He said unlocking the doors. He threw her into the passenger seat and closed the door. He got in and drove her back to her house. It seem like they were finally going to talk. He had been wrong about Kim being responsible for Kaylie's fall and he owed her an apology. Pulling up at her house, he looked over at her. She was sound asleep. Well that was at least something; he grabbed her bag and got out. Opening her door he scooped her into his arms. He already had her key in his hand as he walked up to her front door. He opened her door without moving her too much. Closing the door with his foot, he made his way toward her bedroom. She would have one heck of a hangover in the morning. He might as well get her as close to a bathroom as possible without actually putting her in the bathroom. Laying her on the bed, he took off her shoes and unzipped her dress. It had been too long without her and his body was reminding him at this very moment. He threw her dress on top of her shoes and grabbed her simple white t-shirt and put it on her. Looking at her now, he was sorry that he had done this to her. She was special and he had thrown her away like she was nothing. Well not anymore, he was winning her back starting now. Pulling the covers over both of them, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

XXXX

Jumping up Kim barely made it to the bathroom before she emptied her stomach once again. This was the third time that she had made this journey. She didn't even bother getting up this time. How much had she drank and how did she get home and who had changed her clothes? Everything was a blur except the fact that she was not in her dress.

"Hangover?" Tommy asked flipping on the light. She covered her eyes with her hands and she leaned back against her bathtub. She remembered how she got home now. Tommy had thrown her over his shoulder in the bar and threw her in his Jeep.

"Go away." She whispered as he smiled.

"You know drinking your troubles away is never a good idea." He said flipping the light back off. He didn't want to torture her too much. She still looked a little green as he sat down beside her.

"Quit shouting at me. I can hear just fine." She whispered as he sat down beside her. Pulling her close he rubbed her hair. Minutes later she laid her head in his lap and fell asleep. He continued to rub her hair as she slept. He had done this to her and he would make it up to her someway.

XXXX

Kim woke up hours later to the afternoon sun coming through her blinds. How long she slept? She remembered all the trips to the bathroom early this morning and the way Tommy had carried her back to bed so that she could sleep better. Swinging her legs around, she got up slowly and discovered that she had a massive headache that got worse with each step she took. She had to get something to eat so she made her way to the kitchen and was shocked. Tommy was still here.

"You've lost weight." He said without turning around.

"Yea well you don't look too good either." She pointed out. It looked like he hadn't shaved in a week and his hair was everywhere.

"At least I didn't try to drink away my sorrows." He commented while turning to face her. "Here drink this." He said handing her a glass filled with some sort of green liquid.

"What is that?" She said eyeing the glass.

"You don't really want to know. It will take care of that headache better than food can." He said as she sighed. He watched as she took a big gulp and almost gagged. "Drink it all." He implored as she closed her eyes before drinking again.

"That was nasty." She said as he nodded. "What are you doing here?" She asked setting the glass down.

"Mending fences." He replied.

"Mending fences? I think you are too late for that." She stated.

"Am I? Are you sure?" He asked grabbing her sandwich that he had made her. Placing it in front of her, he looked down at her.

"Trust me; you are too late to mend fences." She said before taking a bite of the sandwich. She didn't want to share that her headache was better. Whatever had been in that glass was something short of a miracle.

"What if I got down on my knees to beg your forgiveness?" He asked leaning against the bar.

She looked up at him and held back her smile. He had hurt her badly in Paris. "You would need to crawl over hot coals to even be able to beg my forgiveness." She commented taking another bite of her sandwich.

"Done." He said simply.

"Oh I don't think so, flyboy." She replied.

"Fine, I will let you draw blood." He said causing her to look back at him. "I am sorry for saying what I did." He stated.

"You told me to leave." She pointed out.

Nodding he spoke again. "I know and for that I am very sorry. I shouldn't have told you to leave. You were not responsible for Kaylie's fall." He said as she finished her meal.

"No I wasn't." She said quietly thinking back to the police report.

"And I know that you were just as shaken up as I was. Kaylie is special to you too." He said.

"More than you will probably ever know but that's not the point. You really hurt me when you told me to leave." She stated standing up. He came around the bar to face her without anything between them. "You didn't want me there to help you through the pain."

"You don't know what it was like seeing Kaylie lying there." He said sitting down on the couch while she stood by the TV.

"Explain it to me." She said. "Like you should have explained it to me in Paris. How are we ever going to be together if you never shared your pain with me?" She asked as she came and sat down beside him. She didn't sit too close which he found a little unnerving. She always sat close to him.

"I thought that I was prepared for just about anything when I walked into the hospital and saw you. You were trying to be strong but I knew that you were at your breaking point but the moment I saw you it was like you gained strength. You gained my strength. Walking into Kaylie's room and seeing her like that something snapped in me. It was you all over again and I couldn't breathe." He said breathing deep. It was like the first cleansing breath that he had taken since before he teleported to Paris. "Anyway I heard what you said and sort of went crazy. I had added 2 and 2 and got five. I blamed you when you had done nothing wrong but be there when I couldn't. I'm not angry that she was that good to be there just that I couldn't be there with her." He stated.

"Okay but after you came back why didn't you say anything?" She asked.

"I don't know just that it was easier to be mad at you than to look at myself. Can you forgive me?" He asked turning to face her more fully.

Jumping up Kim walked over to the sliding glass doors. "I don't know. You pushed me away when I needed you the most. One of my girls was hurt and the only person that I wanted to turn to, told me to leave. Tommy, I love you but I'm not sure if I can forgive you." She said as he stood up slowly. He was afraid that she might say that. Kimberly was a loving woman but once she was hurt by the one she loved it was hard to win her back. He knew from his Green Ranger days. She might have sought him out but it taken a while to get to know more about her. It was one reason that he had been nervous about asking her to the dance. He hadn't been sure of her feelings for him. Which bought up the question if she had forgiven him for being the Evil Green Ranger but she didn't think that she could forgive him for telling her to leave, what was he going to do?

XXXX

Okay so what did everyone think? Please let me know. The next chapter should be out soon.


	20. I'll Be

A/N: I don't own anything except the concept and the girls. I hope that everyone likes this chapter. I really had a ball writing it.

XXXX

"What do you mean, you can't forgive me?" He asked walking up next to her.

"Just want I said." She said turning to face him. "How do I know the next time something happens you won't push me away?" She asked looking up at him.

"Because it hurts too much to be without you." He said simply breaking through any barrier that she had tried to throw between them.

"I know." She cried as he pulled her close. He let her cry into his shoulder while he rubbed her back in comfort.

"Kimberly, I love you but I will beg for you to forgive me." He said against her hair. "Just tell me when and where." He said into her ear.

"You really are too much sometimes but I do love you." She said tilting her head back. Smiling he lowered his head so that he could kiss her properly. He missed her so much that it had hurt. He just hoped that she didn't make his begging too long.

XXXX

"Has anyone heard from Kimberly?" Jason asked sitting down next to Trini on the couch. Rocky, Aisha, Tanya, and Kat were across from them on the other couch while Adam, Billy, Hayley, Zack, and Angela were each in chairs around the room. They were all worried about Tommy and Kim so they had decided that something should be done just to get them to talk in the same room. Kat had told everyone what had happened at the gym yesterday with Kaylie and then with Kim leaving.

"No and I am worried about her." Aisha said as Trini nodded.

"Did she say where she was going dressed like that?" Rocky asked Kat.

"No, she just said that she was going out." Kat said throwing her hands up in the air. "And who knows where that was." She finished.

"Well I tried Tommy's house too but didn't get an answer." Adam piped in.

"The last time I saw Tommy, he looked awful." Hayley informed them.

"So how do we get the Falcon and Crane talking?" Jason asked.

"Falcon and Crane?" Angela asked looking from Jason to Zack.

"Yea when the Dino powers were destroyed they along with Rocky, Adam, Aisha, and Billy all traveled to the planet Phadoes to gain their Ninjetti powers which were animal spirits. Billy was the Wolf, Aisha the Bear, Adam the Frog, Rocky the Ape, Tommy the Falcon, and Kim the Crane." Zack explained as she nodded. She had known that they had to get powers from another planet but she didn't know that they had animal spirits as well.

"I still say lock them up for a day. They would have to talk then." Rocky said as Jason nodded. He was in whole hearted agreement on Rocky's plan.

"No we cannot lock them up." Trini said glaring at her husband.

"Why not? Rocky's plan is sound." He replied.

"Did you even hear what you just said?" Adam asked. "You said that Rocky's plan was sound." He said with a laugh.

"What?" Jason asked. "I think it is." He responded.

"What I think we need to do first is get in touched with both of them. I mean its Saturday and Kim has not called me once." Trini said.

"Yea I know and there is a sale at the mall today." Aisha supplied. "She has never missed a sale." She said.

"I think that we should give them a few more days. I mean this is really something that they should get through themselves." Billy said. "They have to work through this without us interfering."

"Billy's right, let's give them a few more days to see if they can resolve this without us butting in and making it worse." Kat said as everyone agreed. They would just have to deal with Tommy and Kim not speaking for a few days.

XXXX

Kim stared at the email that she had just received. The committee had just confirmed her thoughts. She would deal with this problem now before talking to the others. They would want to go in guns blazing and she didn't want that. Some of them still had active powers which would make things worse. She wanted to deal with him all on her own. Shutting down her computer, she got up and looked out over her back yard and thought about yesterday when Tommy was here. He asked her over and over to tell him what he needed to do to gain her forgiveness but she didn't want to have to tell him. He needed to figure out how to gain her forgiveness on his own. Sighing she opened the sliding glass doors and stepped outside. It was a beautiful day with a slight breeze that barely lifted her hair. She smiled and sat down in the nearest chair. It was a rare day for her. She didn't have anything to do or be anywhere and she planned to enjoy it.

XXXX

"I thought that I would find you here." Tommy said coming up behind his niece.

"Since I am banned from the gym, I needed somewhere to practice." She said looking around the Youth Center. She had been working on her floor routine trying to regain her moves without hurting herself again.

"Well about that." He said looking away rubbing his neck.

"Yea?" She asked wiping her face with the back of her hand.

"If you are going to be an elite gymnast then you need to be practicing in a real gym." He said as she snapped her head and to look him in the eye before jumping into his arms.

"Oh thank you, thank you." She said kissing his check.

"You are very welcome, now are you ready to go?" He asked with a smile.

"I thought that was you, Tommy. You never come to see me anymore." Ernie said coming up beside him.

"Hi Ernie. I'm just getting my niece out of your hair." He said motioning to Kaylie.

"What is it with you and gymnast? You know that Kimberly Hart trained her before moving to Florida." Ernie said as Kaylie nodded.

"I train at her gym now." Kaylie said with a smile as Tommy nodded.

"Really? You should stop by more." Ernie said looking at Tommy before walking away.

"Alright young lady, we need to get home." Tommy said as she grabbed her bag and slipped her shoes on. Ernie waved to them as they walked out to Tommy's Jeep.

"Have you talked to Kim yet?" Kaylie asked as Tommy sighed. He knew that Kaylie would ask him about Kim sometime.

"I have and explained about you coming back." He said.

"What about telling her you were sorry?" She asked looking over at him.

"I did that as well." He stated with a sigh.

"But you are still not together?" She asked as he nodded. "But you love her, don't you?" She asked.

"Yes I do more than anything but I hurt her really bad and I have to beg for her forgiveness." He said pulling up in front of his house.

"What do you have planned?" She asked getting out with her bag over her shoulder. "I can help you, if you want." She said.

"I don't have a plan yet but I will." He said as she nodded.

"Just don't lose her because she is the best thing that has ever happen to you." She said before walking into the house. Tommy just stared after his niece and smiled. Kaylie was right, Kim was the best thing that had ever happened to him and he had let her go once but never again. He would not let her go again.

XXXX

"Kim you are looking a little better after Friday. So where did you go?" Karen asked leaning against her office door. Kat had yet to make it in so she was just checking her email and catching up on some files.

"A bar." Kim said looking back at the file on her desk. She had to get ready for National Team practice at the end of the week. She hoped that it would give Kaylie enough time to get back into the swing of things.

"Kimberly, you went to a bar? What were you thinking?" Karen asked walking into the office. She took one of the chairs in front of Kim's desk. Crossing her legs, she looked at Kim very closely.

"I was thinking that alcohol would take care of a few things." She said without looking up.

"Did you drive home?" She asked as Kim shook her head no. "Then how may I ask did you get home?"

"Tommy." Kim said again without looking up. The report on the girls meant that National Team practice would be much more interesting. Each of them had up their routines to get a better score.

"Kim, look at me." Karen said as Kim glanced up. "Okay now let's take this slow; you said that Tommy drove you home. Now does that mean that you are back with him?" She asked as Kim sighed.

"Well no we are not but we are at least talking." She stated as Karen just stared at her. "I guess that you could say that we are working on being back together." She supplied as Karen nodded. It seemed like she had stuck Karen mute with her revelation. "Are you okay?" She asked.

"No, I don't think that I am. You and Tommy are talking but are not back together and he drove you home from the bar. Did you call him?" She asked.

"Uh no the bar tender did. He apparently knows Tommy and before you ask Tommy did watch over me. We also talked the next day and that's all." Kim said as Karen nodded again.

"So that explains this." Kat said from the door way. Kim saw that she was holding a package. "I found it next to the door." She said bringing to Kim.

"Who is it from?" Karen asked.

"Tommy." Kat said as Kim opened it. "Oh wow." Kat said as Kim bought it out of the box.

"What is it?" Karen asked trying to figure out what sort of stuffed animal it was. She knew that it was bird but what bird she didn't know.

"It's a White Falcon." Kim said with a smile. She noticed that it had a necklace with a piece of heart on it. It was like those charms that you gave your best friend but instead of saying either best or friend, it had true etched on it.

"Falcon? I thought that you liked Cranes since you did name your gym after them." Karen questioned.

"Well I do love Cranes but Falcons are my second favorite especially White Falcons." Kim said looking back at the stuffed animal that she held in her hands. "Winged Lord of the Skies." She whispered as Kat smiled. Karen had no clue what that meant but Kat did. Tommy was pulling out the stops to beg for Kim's forgiveness apparently.

"Well okay, I'm going to get downstairs and get the mats set up for practice today." Karen said getting up and walking out of the office. Kat took her seat and smiled at Kim.

"What?" Kim asked setting her falcon next to her computer screen.

"You and Tommy were meant to be together." She stated simply.

"How do you know?" Kim asked looking at her.

"Because he never did anything like that for me while we were dating." She said with a sad smile.

"Oh Kat, I'm sorry. I can take it home before practice." She said reaching for her falcon but was stopped by Kat's hand on hers.

"No, don't. He belongs there." She said looking at the falcon next to Kim's computer. "Don't make Tommy beg for too long." She said as Kim nodded. Noticing the time, she got up and walked to the door before turning around. Kat was now behind her desk getting to work.

"Thanks Kat." She said before getting down the floor the help Karen with the mats.

"No problem Kimberly." Kat said to herself. She was happy that Kim and Tommy were talking and that he was begging in his own way.

XXXX

"Okay Kaylie take it easy with the next pass." Kim said as she nodded. Pointing her toe, Kaylie began her second pass. Kim had her on the floor for today just so that she could readjust to bending and twisting after two weeks of lying around the house. Kaylie took off running and began her pass with a back hand spring that led into another back handspring before ending in a layout. Smiling she watched as Kaylie took a breath before starting her next pass. This one started with a cartwheel before going into another back handspring and ending in a full twist. She was looking good and ready for National Team practice on Friday which made Kim happy. Kaylie needed to make the team for Spain to establish that she was well and ready for Worlds in October. She had to at least compete in two different countries before she could even be considered for the Worlds team and she had all summer to compete.

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"Kim this arrived for you." Kat said handing her another package. They were on lunch break at the moment so Kim walked into her office to open this one. Sitting down behind her desk, she almost cried when she removed the Pink Crane from its package. Around its neck she found another half heart but this one said love. She didn't know where Tommy had found this one but she loved it. He was making his statement and she had to agree. They were true love.

"What was this one?" Kat asked walking in.

"A Pink Crane." Kim said setting it next to its mate.

"I think that he's telling you where his heart is." She stated as Kim nodded.

"Yea its right where mine is." Kim said before walking out of the office. She still had lunch to finish.

XXXX

"Thanks, Kat." Tommy said before closing his phone. He was happy that Kim had liked his presents but he was saving the best for last. Everyone was heading to the Youth Center after work. He had arranged everything with Ernie over the phone last night and he couldn't wait for Kim to see what he had planned. She was going to love it and hopefully not make him beg anymore but he would if it wasn't enough.

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"Kim what do you have planned tonight?" Kat asked as Kim walked into the office. The girls were in the locker room changing for their drive home.

"Nothing that I know of, why?" She asked sitting on her couch so that she could rub her feet. She had come down wrong on the beam after lunch. It was her fault but at least the girls knew what they shouldn't do.

"Well everyone else wanted to go to Ernie's since he invited everyone." Kat said as Kim looked up at her.

"Actually that sounds fun; I haven't been to Ernie's in forever. What time is everyone getting there?" She asked thinking about getting home and getting a shower.

"I think around seven." She said as Kim nodded. It was perfect. She would have enough time to head home and put on something nice.

"I will be there, don't worry." She said before leaving. Kat smiled as she watched Kim walk back downstairs before leaving. Tommy's plan was falling into place which meant that she had done her job.

"What's with that smile?" Greg asked from the door.

"Would you like to come with me to Ernie's tonight?" She asked standing up.

"Yea sounds good, what time?" He asked walking over to her.

"Well Tommy has a surprise lined up for Kim at seven so we need to be there before that." She said looking up at him.

Greg looked at her with a smile. "He has a surprise for Kim so they are back together?" He asked while she shook her head no. "Okay so why does he have a surprise for her then?"

"He is trying to get back with her. Apparently she is making him work for it this time around for pushing her away in Paris." She stated as he nodded. "I can't wait to see the look on Kim's face. Tommy has been working hard all day." She said.

"Isn't he a teacher?" He asked as she nodded. "So then shouldn't he have been at work?"

"Oh he took a day off something to do with his boss owing him." She said waving her hand. "But we should get going; I want to dress up for this." She said as he nodded. He knew that it meant that he would have to wear more than jeans and a t-shirt to Ernie's tonight. Thinking about what was in his closet, he guessed that his slacks would work along with that green polo that he never really wore. They should work well.

XXXX

Kim set the curling iron down and looked at the results. She was very proud of her handiwork because it took some time to actually get her hair to curl and look awesome. Turning away she walked into her closet and tried to decide on what dress she wanted to wear. She didn't know why but she wanted to look great tonight. After Friday night, she guessed that she just wanted to look great for her friends and not people at the bar. Looking at the discarded dress on the floor, she sighed. She really loved that dress but she couldn't wear it tonight. Glancing back up, she looked over her dresses again and smiled. She found the perfect dress and of course it was pink. She had bought it after she won Gold in Greece. It was just a simple summer dress that fell almost to her knees and was held up by tiny straps. She looked down and found the pair of shoes that she always wore with the dress. They were the same pink as the dress and had a three inch heel on them. It would give her some height but not near enough to look Tommy in the eye. She really should invest in some very high heels if she wanted to do that, she thought suddenly. Slipping off her clothes, she put on her dress and eased into her shoes.

"Wow." She whispered looking at her reflection in the mirror. She grabbed her purse and made her way outside. She couldn't wait to get to Ernie's before everyone else.

XXXX

"Oh wow, Uncle Tommy. You did an awesome job." Kaylie said looking around the Youth Center.

"Well I'm just glad that I got it done in time." He said looking around. He had replaced every picture that Ernie had with one of Kim performing some gymnastic move. He wanted to prove to her that he cared about her career and followed it for years.

"I think that she is going to love it." Kaylie said with a smile. He smiled before walking over to the sound system. He wasn't really ready to sing but Kim would love it. The song he had picked out was something that Kim would love too. Spinning back around he looked over the Youth Center and had to smile. Pictures of Kim were everywhere along with her medals that she had won over the years. It had taken him a while to get each medal since some were at her house while some were at the gym. Kat had been sneaking them out for him ever chance she could. The last one that was actually displayed in the main part of the gym, she had to wait until Kim left to get that one to him. It was also the one that he wanted the most since it was the Gold Medal for the All-Around competition at the 2000 Olympics. He had a picture of her with it around her neck at the Olympics hanging above the glass case. She had worn a pink leotard that had a faint outline of a crane on her right hip and USA over her left breast. He knew that she had gained special permission to wear it for the All-Around competition. Normally the gymnast wore one of the team leotards that were of course red, white, and blue. Kim did wear one of the team to gain her other Gold Medals but for that part, she wanted to wear her pink. He remembered watching the moment that she had won. She had finished up the beam with a grace that he had never really seen in any other gymnast but her when her scores were flashed on screen. She had beaten out every other gymnast by several points to gain that Gold Medal.

XXXX

Kim walked up to the door of the Youth Center and stared. Ernie had a sign that said closed due to private party. "Well I guess I got dressed up for nothing." She said turning to walk away when the door opened.

"Kimberly, where are you going?" Ernie asked as she turned back around.

"You are closed for a private party?" She asked as he nodded. "I guess that I will come back then." She said.

"No wait; you are invited to this party." He said as she stared at him.

"I didn't receive an invitation though." She said as he nodded.

"Oh I know but come on, everyone is waiting." He said as she smiled before walking past him only to stop.

"What?" She asked as she looked at all the pictures of herself. Where had all of these come from?

"Well they came mostly from Tommy but I did have a few of them as well." He said.

"Did I ask that out loud?" She asked.

"No but I saw the look on your face." He said with a smile. She walked a little further and saw Gold Medals hanging nearby.

"Are those mine?" She asked as he nodded. She finally stepped fully into the Youth Center and saw everyone there. She was glad now that she was dressed up.

"What do you think?" Kaylie asked walking up to her.

"I'm not sure what to think." She said as she saw one of the pictures behind Kaylie's head. "I remember that picture. It was one of the best." She said pointing to the picture behind Kaylie.

"The Magnificent Seven?" Kaylie asked looking at the photo. "I didn't know that you knew them." She said as Jason, Rocky, Trini, Aisha, and Tanya walked up to them.

"Who are they?" Rocky asked pointing to the picture.

"They are the Magnificent Seven from the 1996 Olympics and they won the first USA Team Gold Medal in Olympic history. I remember watching them win; it was such an amazing moment in history that it still gives me chills to think about it." Kim stated as Kaylie nodded. She knew that feeling.

"What made them great? I mean beside the Team Gold Medal." Tanya asked wanting to know.

"Well no one was sure that the USA team could even compete because some of them had gotten hurt at Olympic trials. During the first round of competition, they were neck and neck with the Russians and it had come down to the last event for the Americans. They knew that they would have to perform flawlessly to beat the Russians. Dominique Moceanu took her tow vaults and fell on both of them that left Kerri Strug to hers. The first one she fell as well but hurt her ankle in the process. With her hurt ankle, she probably shouldn't have done her second one but she knew that she would have to for the team to still be in the running. She took a moment then took off running again and landed it on one leg before falling down. She did land it though and won the Gold Medal for the team. The pictures that ran the next day were of Coach Bela carrying her with the Gold Medal around her neck and the flowers in her hands." Kim said with a smile. "I got to meet them while they were on tour around the country."

"I remember that, it was the moment that I wanted a Gold Medal of my own." Kaylie said as Kim laughed before pulling her into a hug.

"Where is your Uncle by the way?" Kim asked as Kaylie just smiled.

"I think that you should turn around, Kim." Jason said as Kim did as he said. She thought that Tommy would be standing there but there was nothing but a stage and a single microphone.

"What's going on? Do you want me to get up there and sing?" Kim asked as Jason shook his head no. "Then what?" She asked as the music started playing and a lone figure came out on the stage. It wasn't Tommy though. She didn't know who it was when the singing started.

_The strands in your eyes that color them wonderful  
Stop me and steal my breath _

Kim knew that it was Tommy singing but he wasn't up on that stage. It was totally him singing. She would know that voice anywhere.

_Emeralds from mountains thrust toward the sky  
Never revealing their depth  
Tell me that we belong together  
Dress it up with the trappings of love  
I'll be captivated  
I'll hang from your lips  
Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above_

Tommy finally appeared on stage with the microphone in his hand as Kim wiped the tears from her cheeks. She knew why he was singing this to her now. He was throwing it all in and crawling over hot coals to beg her forgiveness.

_I'll be your crying shoulder  
I'll be your love suicide  
and I'll be better when I'm older  
I'll be the greatest fan of your life_

_Rain falls angry on the tin roof  
As we lie awake in my bed  
You're my survival, you're my living proof  
My love is alive not dead  
Tell me that we belong together  
Dress it up with the trappings of love  
I'll be captivated I'll hang from your lips  
Instead of the gallows of heartache, that hang from above_

_I'll be your crying shoulder  
I'll be your love suicide  
and I'll be better when I'm older  
I'll be the greatest fan of your life  
_  
_I've been dropped out, burned up, fought my way back from the dead  
Tuned in, turned on, Remembered the things that you said  
_  
_I'll be your crying shoulder  
I'll be your love suicide  
and I'll be better when I'm older  
I'll be the greatest fan of your life_

Tommy walked over to Kim and stopped directly in front of her. He raised the microphone to his lips for the last line. She waited with baited breath. She looked up at him as the room faded around them. It was like they were the only two in the room.

_I'll be the greatest man in your life_

Kim was crying for real now as Tommy pulled her into his arms. He had changed that last line but she loved him for it. Easing back from him, she looked into his eyes.

"I forgive you." She said before he kissed her soundly on the lips. Everyone clapped their approval as they kissed. Tommy and Kim were back where they belonged.

XXXX

Okay so what did everyone think? Please let me know. The song is I'll Be by Edwin McCain. I fit so perfectly that I had to use it for this chapter. Also the Magnificent Seven as they were nicknamed were the first USA Oylmpic Team to win Team Gold with Kerri Strug's unbelieveable vault and landing on one leg.


	21. Taking Care of Business

A/N: I don't own anything but the concept and the girls. I hope that everyone likes this chapter.

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"How on Earth did you get all these photos of me?" Kim asked leaning back from his chest to look him in the eye.

"Some were from Ernie but most were mine that I had blown up for tonight." He said as her eyes widened.

"You had most of these?" She asked as he nodded. "Tommy." She breathed leaning in to kiss him again. She threw her arms around his neck as Jason walked over to them.

"Okay we get it, you two are back together." Jason said with a laugh as Kim eased back from Tommy.

"You ruined a perfectly great moment." Tommy muttered as Kim blushed and Jason laughed.

"Well since your niece is here, I thought it best to stop the moment because I am sure that she doesn't want to see her uncle and coach getting it on in front of their friends." He said as Kim turned even redder. Tommy took it all in stride because he knew that Jason was just so happy to see them back together.

"Fine, I see what you mean." Kim whispered as the color faded from her cheeks. It was a peaceful night for the rangers and one that everyone enjoyed.

XXXX

"Looking good, Kaylie. Now I want you to make sure that you point you toe on the last pass." Kim said as Kaylie nodded. Kim backed up and watched Kaylie swung her leg up and over her head before pointing her toes. Kim smiled as Kaylie swung her right leg up as well so that both of them were above her head. She arched her back and raised her left hand off of the beam so that she was perched only on her right hand. It was a beautiful move that took a lot of upper body strength to maintain the hold which Kaylie did. Finally after what seemed like hours, Kaylie's legs came apart and came back down to touch the beam. She then did a back flip to come back on her feet at the end of the beam.

"I remember when I watched you perform that move at the Youth Center." Kat said from behind her.

"Yea but I never held it that long." Kim commented. "She is looking better than she did before her injury."

"I think so too but I don't know that much about gymnastics." Kat replied as Kim smiled.

"Oh and thank you for helping Tommy yesterday." Kim said turning to face her.

Kat smiled. "No problem, I'm just glad that you forgave him. Tommy really was a little lost puppy without you." She informed her.

"I'm sure that he would love to hear that." Kim stated as they both laughed. "Anyway I think that there was something delivered for you about ten minutes ago." Kim commented.

"While I was out?" She asked as Kim nodded. "I'm not sure what it could be. I have all my mail sent to the post office right now." She said as Kim smiled.

"Maybe you should check it out." She said as Kat walked away from her up to the office.

XXXX

"What in the world?" Kat asked as she saw the dozen red roses sitting on Kim's desk with a card that had her name on it. Grabbing it she opened it and sighed.

"Who are they from?" Kim asked leaning against the door.

"Greg." Kat said bending over to smell the roses. Kim smiled as she watched Kat inhale the floral scent with her eyes closed. She knew that she loved getting roses from Tommy so she could just imagine what Kat felt.

"I think that he really likes you." Kim said before she walked away. Kat sighed again before going in search of Greg.

XXXX

"What has Kat in a fantastic mood?" Karen asked helping Emily up on the uneven bars. She wasn't doing her whole routine just working on her transition from the high bar to the lower one.

"Greg sent her a dozen roses." Kim said.

"Oh wow, then I say that he is serious about her." She said as Kim nodded.

"Emily remember to bend on that move." Kim instructed. "And I think you're right." Kim said to Karen.

XXXX

Kat waited until Greg noticed her in the corner. He finally saw her and smiled. Finishing up with whoever he was talking to, he walked over to her. She smiled at him as he stopped in front of her.

"Thank you, the roses were beautiful." She said as he nodded.

"I'm glad that you liked them. I know you worked hard yesterday trying to get everything set up for Tommy but you deserved a reward." He said brushing back a stand of blonde hair out of her face.

"Oh." She said turning red.

"Are you doing anything tonight?" He asked as she shook her head no. "Okay then would you like to go to a movie with me?" He asked.

"I would love too." She said.

"Okay good, I will pick you up around six then." He said as she nodded. "Well I need to get back to practice but I will see you later." He said leaning in and brushing a kiss across her cheek. Kat turned even redder as she walked back into the girl's side of the gym. Kim smiled as Kat walked up to the office.

XXXX

Kim left the gym early that day. She had to meet up with the man who had hurt Kaylie in Paris. He had finally gotten back in town and she wanted to get this taken care. Walking into the bar, she found him sitting at the opposite end. Looking around she saw that it was mostly empty but it was only two in the afternoon so the crowd hadn't gotten here yet. Making her way over to him, she focused all of her energy into keeping her wits about her.

"Hello, Sam." She said as he looked up at her with bloodshot eyes.

XXXX

"Where's Kim?" Tommy asked picking Kaylie up.

"She said that she had an appointment this afternoon." Karen said as he nodded. She hadn't mentioned any appointment last night but they hadn't really talked after getting back to his house. He thought with a smile.

"Tommy!" Kat shouted from the office before rushing down to him. He wondered why she was in a rush when he had to wait for Kaylie to get out of the locker room.

"Slow down Kat, I'm not going anywhere in the next few seconds." He said with a smile.

"I know where Kimberly has gone." She said thrusting a piece of paper at him.

"What's this?" He asked without looking at it.

"I found this on her desk under some papers about Kaylie's accident in Paris. She has gone to confront him." She said as he looked at the paper and scanned it. She watched as he went pale.

"Please watch Kaylie for me, I have to go after her. Call the others." He said before running out of the gym.

"Who did that to Kaylie?" Karen asked.

"Sam." Kat whispered while snapping open her cell phone. Jason and Rocky were not going to be happy about Kim going after Sam herself but at least she can tell them that Tommy had gone after her.

XXXX

"What do you want, Kimberly? I heard that boyfriend of yours left you high and dry in Paris. Apparently you are not what he thought you were." He slurred out.

"It was your fault that he left me alone in Paris. You could have killed Kaylie." She said as he swirled around the brown liquid in his glass.

"You can't prove that it was me." He said looking back up at her.

"You knew that we were first on the beam and that Kaylie would be first in the rotation. I know that you were in Paris since you bought the plane tickets in your name." She said crossing her arms over her chest.

"So I bought some plane tickets, doesn't mean that I was there." He said smiling up at her.

"Well that's where the security cameras help out. The police watched over the tapes and saw that you were messing with the beam an hour before we walked out. No one else touched it until Kaylie flipped onto it." She stated as he stood up.

"So what? You can't arrest me so I suggest you keep that information to yourself or the next time, I make sure that she does die." He said as she held her ground.

"I don't think so." Tommy said from the door. The bar tender had eased out of the door when he saw Tommy come in. He knew Tommy from high school and knew that he could take care of Kim without any help.

"Tommy, what are you doing here?" Kim asked as Sam reacted with speed. He grabbed her and held a gun to her temple.

"Back up or I will shoot her." Sam said as Tommy took a tiny step back. He knew that Kim could defend herself but Sam had a gun to her head. Seeing the look in Kim's eyes almost made him smile. She was mad. "Now we are going to do this very easy." Sam said drawing Tommy's eyes back to him behind Kim.

"I don't think so." Kim said elbowing his solar plexus before dropping down and kicking his legs out from under him. The gun went off which caused Tommy to lose his cool. Rushing forward he grabbed Sam up and restrained him while trying to locate the gun. Kim stood up with a smile and he noticed that the gun was in her hands.

"How did that happen?" He asked looking at the gun.

"Well I grabbed it as he went down." She said putting the safety on.

"Are you shot?" He asked looking her over.

"No, but Sam is." She said pointing to his leg that was starting to bleed.

"I don't really care; he tried to kill Kaylie and now you. He can bleed to death for all I care." He said pulling Kim into his arms. The police rushed in seconds later.

"Is everyone alright?" The officer asked.

"Yea but he needs to see a doctor. He shot himself in the leg." Kim stated sweetly as the officer nodded.

"Don't worry Coach Hart; we will take care of this. I just need to get your statements before you leave." The officer said as Kim and Tommy nodded. It only took them a few minutes before they were released. Sam was hauled off to jail for attempted murder.

XXXX

"What were you thinking?" Jason yelled the next day at Kim's house. She knew that everyone would be over here after Tommy and Kat had told everyone what had happened.

"Nothing happened." She said sitting back on the couch.

"WHAT?" Rocky screamed jumping up. He started pacing then. "Kimberly, you could have died. You didn't even know that he had a gun." He said without stopping.

"Rocky's right, Kim, if Tommy hadn't shown up when he did you could have been injured or killed." Adam commented as Jason and Rocky nodded.

"No, I don't think so since Tommy's presence set him off in the first place." She said trying to reason with everyone.

"Kim when I showed up, he was on edge as it was. Anything could have set him off like you telling him that you were going to the police with what you knew." Tommy said kneeling in front of her.

"You told him that?" Jason asked latching onto another piece of information.

"Well not in so many words." Kim replied as she glared at Tommy. It was his fault that everyone was giving her the third degree about this.

"What I want to know is why you decided to face him alone? I mean you know that any one of us would have gone with you." Billy said as everyone nodded.

Looking around the room, Kim knew that she had made the right choice after all. So she told them. "Some of you still have active powers and if he had made one step toward me, you would have gone off on him like a roman candle." She stated looking everyone over. "I couldn't have let that happen even if Sam would have attacked me." She said looking down at Tommy still knelt down in front of her.

"Please don't ever do anything like this again." Tommy pleaded as she nodded.

"Okay now that that is settled, I say we get something to eat." Rocky said as everyone laughed. The problem had been dealt with so now it was time to feed Rocky.

XXXX

"Hey Kat, sorry about ruining your date the other night." Kim said the next day at the gym. It had been a wild two days after Sam had been arrested and she had just now remembered that Kat had had a date that day.

"Oh you didn't. Karen took care of Kaylie for me so that I could go out." Kat said with a smile.

"Where did you go?" Kim asked.

"The Steakhouse before watching a movie." She said as Kim smiled. Greg was making an effort to date Kat and Kim was so happy. Greg was just the man for Kat.

"Well I am glad that you had your date." Kim said hugging her before turning back to practice. Kat smiled before leaving Kim alone. She had a ton of work to do before the end of the day since National Team practice was tomorrow.

XXXX

"Flip!" Kim shouted as Kaylie did as she asked before launching into a round-off, backhand spring. Kim clapped as Kaylie landed it perfectly with her arms thrown back and her back arched. "Beautiful, I think that you are ready for tomorrow." She said as Kaylie walked off the mat over to her.

"Thanks, I just feel better than ever." She said as Kim nodded.

"Okay, Alex show me what you got." Kim stated as Alex took her place at the edge of the mat before she took off running to start her routine. Kim watched as Alex owned the floor with her advanced moves. If she could only do the double arabian, then Alex would be unbeatable on floor. "Now finished it." Kim said as Alex hit her last move with the precision that had Kim smiling. She couldn't wait for tomorrow's practice.

XXXX

"Alright Ladies, show me what you got." Kim said the next day. The National Team members started warming up as Kim backed up to let the Assistant coached handle the girls. She had to help decide on who got to go to Spain along with the other members of the committee.

"The girls are looking great, Kimberly." Bela said coming up behind her.

"Thanks, I learned from the best." She said smiling up at him.

"You were already great when we met. I just polished you up a little." He said tapping her nose as she laughed. He was one the best coaches in the world and she had the opportunity to work with him before he retired. He had coached Mary Lou Retton to her Olympic Gold Medal along with Kim Zmeskal to her World Gold Medal and of course the Magnificent Seven to their Team Gold. He was the kind of coach that she wanted to be. Looking back at the girls, she knew that they could go all the way to winning the Team Gold Medal at Worlds in October. They just had to learn to be a team.

XXXX

"So have I missed the announcement?" Tommy asked rushing into the gym bumping into Kat in the process.

"No, the committee is upstairs while the girls are still practicing. Its going to be a tough decision, all the girls bought their A-games today." Kat whispered as Tommy nodded. He hoped that Kaylie had performed like he knew she could and not let her nerves get the best of her. He made his over to the parents' section to await the decision of the committee on who was going to Spain.

XXXX

"We trust your decision on this, Kimberly. I think that the six girls you have chosen will represent the United States well and we will make sure that nothing happens like it did in Paris. Security will be top notch." Wayne the chairman for this practice stated. The committee rotated chairmen every practice so that one person didn't get on a power trip.

"Thank you for your trust me in. The girls will perform to their best." Kim stated standing up. She walked away from them to give Karen the list of girls. She was happy with her decision as well.

XXXX

"Okay everyone, on behalf of Coach Hart and the National Committee, I have the pleasure of announcing the girls going to Spain in two weeks." Karen stated as everyone clapped. "The girls are as follows; Alex, Kaylie, Kelly, Lauren, Sara, and Tara. Thank you for a great practice girls." Karen said as everyone clapped again.

XXXX

Tommy unlocked his front door and let Kim and Kaylie walk in before him. Since Kim and Kaylie had a long day at the gym, he had treated them to dinner.

"Uncle Tommy, I'm going to bed, I will see you in the morning." Kaylie said before leaving them alone.

"So are you going to tell me why you were so quiet at dinner?" Tommy asked sitting down on the couch. He patted the seat beside him for her to sit down. Sighing Kim walked over to him and sat down as he wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm just worried about Whitney not getting to go to Spain." She said leaning into him.

"Well how did she do today?" He asked pulling her closer into his chest.

"She did good like always but the other six were better. The committee even noticed that she had not stepped it up. I just know that she is better than the girl I saw today." She said playing with his fingers.

"If she wasn't better than the six that were chosen then there is nothing that you can do." He said as she nodded. "But if it will make you feel better, you can tell her to step up her game next time so that she can go." He whispered.

"I know. I have a meeting with her in the morning." She explained.

"Was she that upset that she wanted to meet with you?" He asked rubbing his chin against her hair.

"No, I asked her for the meeting. It was like she knew that she didn't take her routines up a notch." She said. "I just feel like it was my fault that she didn't make the team." She explained.

"Kim, it's not your fault. You give your girls every opportunity to get better." He said pulling her into his lap. "Look at me." He said as she looked up into his eyes. "You are a wonderful coach and the girls are better by just having you in their lives." He said kissing her softly on her lips. Kim sighed and ran her fingers through his hair. Sometimes he just said the right thing that made her fall even more in love with him. Tommy may not be perfect but he was for her.

XXXX

"Coach? You wanted to see me?" Whitney asked walking in.

"Yea, come in and shut the door please." Kim said as Whitney did just that before sitting down across from Kim.

"Did I so something wrong?" Whitney asked.

"No, I just wanted to ask how you were after yesterday's announcement." Kim stated as Whitney nodded.

"I was angry but after I talked to my mom, I realized that the other girls were better than I was." She said as Kim nodded.

"Yes they were but you can get better too. You just need to up your routines." Kim explained as Whitney nodded.

"I know and I will work on that before you go to China." She stated as Kim smiled.

"Good, now I think that you better get back downstairs to start working on those new moves." Kim said as Whitney smiled before leaving Kim alone with her thoughts. She couldn't wait for the next National Team practice.

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Okay so what did everyone think? Please let me know. The next chapter should be out soon.


	22. Passport

A/N: Okay so here is the new chapter and I hope that everyone likes it.

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"Looking great, Whitney." Kim said as she nodded. It had been two weeks since Kim had talked to her and she was improving every day. Spain was only days away now. She and the members of the team would be flying out the day after tomorrow. Tommy would be flying out after that which made her happy. She couldn't wait to see how the girls performed this time around.

"Do you think that I can make the team for China?" Whitney asked walking over to her.

"I think that if you keep your practice up, then yes you will make the team." Kim said with a smile. "Now go get back in line, you still need to get that twist timed perfectly." She said as Whitney nodded before walking away. Watching for a few more minutes, Kim turned and made her way upstairs. She needed to make sure that the travel plans were in place.

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"So are you all packed and ready to go?" Tommy asked from her doorway later that afternoon. She had just gotten off the phone with the National Committee and learned that Lauren was in the hospital.

"I guess but I have to decide on another girl to go." She said leaning back in her chair and closed her eyes.

"Why what's wrong?" He asked walking over behind her and started rubbing her shoulders.

"Lauren has the flu and was put in the hospital this morning." She stated with a groan as his hands worked their magic.

"Who are you going to get?" He asked.

"I'm not sure. I want to take Whitney but the committee is not sure that she can do well." She explained. "They are not sure that she is improved enough after only two weeks. I can see their point but I have worked with her every day." She said with her eyes still closed.

"Who do they want?" He asked rubbing away her tension.

"They suggested Scarlett instead because they were very impressed with her performance at Nationals." She explained as he nodded. "I mean she is good as well but I think that Whitney needs this more than Scarlett does right now." She said.

"So who gets the last say-so?" He asked stepping away from her and setting a hip on her desk. She opened her eyes so that she could look at him.

She smiled before she answered. "Bela." She said simply as he nodded. He knew that Coach Bela Karolyi would most likely go with Kim on this. He knew that Kim wanted to give every girl the same opportunity and not single one out but she did have her reasons. It was not a decision that he would want to make.

"Why does it fall to your gym to pick from?" He asked trying to understand.

"Oh because Whitney and Scarlett were the next two after the six that were chosen." She said standing up. "What are you doing here so earlier?" She asked realizing the time.

"Randall gave me a few extra days off and I got my plane ticket changed so that I can fly out with you and the rest of the team." He said as she smiled. Taking a step she found herself in his arms as he rubbed her back. "I knew that you would like that news." He whispered into her ear.

"Should I come back later?" Kat asked walking into the office as Kim pulled back from Tommy.

"No, I have to get down to finish up practice." Kim said before kissing Tommy's cheek and leaving them alone.

"I must say that I don't think I have ever seen you this happy before." Kat commented before taking a seat behind Kim's desk. She had a few reports to finish before Kim left for Spain.

"I would say the same about you." He said sitting down across from her. "I'm guessing that Greg is responsible for that faint blush I see." He said teasing her as she nodded. "So when are you going to introduced him to everyone else?" He asked as she typed away.

"Not going to happen, Tommy. I don't need him scared off because of you, Jason, Rocky, and Zack." She said without looking at him.

"Oh come on, Kat. You know that the guys would love to meet him." He said smiling.

"No, give it a few months and then I may let him meet every one else one at a time with Rocky being last." She said finishing up one report.

"Maybe you should give Rocky a chance. He's not as bad as everyone thinks he is. I mean Kim is very close to him." He said very seriously.

Looking away from the computer, she regarded him closely. "I suppose you're right." She said slowly. "I guess maybe after Spain, I will get everyone together." She said turning back to the computer.

"Sounds good but I can see that you're busy so I will go downstairs and watch the rest of practice." He said as she waved before typing up another report for Kim. She thought about what Tommy said though and knew that her friends needed to meet Greg especially Rocky.

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"Okay Alex power through this next pass. You need to get high enough to make that second turn in your flip." Kim said as Alex nodded. She took a breath before she started running and hit first flip on point. Kim counted as Alex did her back handspring, back flip, back handspring, back flip, before hitting her double twisting double flip at the edge of the mat. It was beautiful and she had hit every move just like Kim knew she could. "Perfect! Now make sure that you don't get off of the blue mat." Kim said as Alex nodded before walking off of the mat. It was one of the other girls' turn. Kim turned to find Kaylie on the beam. She had been working on a new dismount that wasn't quite ready for Spain. A double arabian dismount was one of the hardest dismounts that could be performed off of the beam. Kaylie could do it but it would take a lot more practice. It could possibly be ready in time for Worlds but Kaylie would have a lot more bruises than she did now.

"Well she is ready for Spain." Karen said nodding to Alex.

"Yea she is adding that double twisting double flip at the end of the pass was perfect." Kim replied.

"It looks great too." Karen commented before turning back to Scarlett on the uneven bars. Looking at Scar twisting and turning, she still thought that Whitney deserved to go. Whitney had impressed Kim the most in the past two weeks than any other girl ever had.

"Kim, phone." Kat yelled from upstairs. Turning she made her way upstairs to see who was on the phone.

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"So what are you doing down here instead of typing away on Kim's computer?" Greg asked coming up behind Kat.

"Oh there was someone on the phone from the National Committee for Kim so I gave her some privacy." She explained with a smile.

"Is there something wrong?" He asked taking a seat next to her.

"Oh no, just that one of the girls who was going to Spain is in the hospital with the flu." She said.

"Oh well then who is going to take her place?" He asked.

"That's what Kim was working on earlier but the committee didn't like her choice." She explained as he nodded.

"Well I would say that she needs to pick Whitney." He said motioning over to Whitney who was currently on the beam.

"I think so too. I mean she has been working out like crazy for the past two weeks. She has proved that she can step up and still perform." Kat said with a smile.

"Yes she has." He said taking her hand in his. They sat there in silence just watching the girls when Kim came down from her office with a smile on her face.

"What are you two doing?" She asked looking from Greg to Kat.

"Just talking." Kat replied easing her hand out of his.

"Yea okay, anyway you can have the office back." She said walking from them.

"Well I guess I better get back to work." Kat said standing up.

"Yes you better." He said laughing before walking away. Kat just grinned before going into the office.

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"Great practice, girls. Now hit the lockers." Kim said as everyone cheered. Kim had worked them hard today even though she spent most of it on the phone.

"So what's with that smile? Did you get good news?" Tommy asked coming up behind her.

"Yea I did." She said as he nodded. "You know that you are going to need your passport again." Kim said as Tommy nodded. He had to find that when he got home. "You lost it again?" She asked facing him.

"Yea but don't worry, I will find it tonight." He said rubbing his neck.

"You want me to help you look for it?" She asked.

He smiled before answering. "No that's fine but I could use your help packing." He said as she nodded. The girls started coming out of the locker room then. Since she had gotten the news so late, she would tell the girls tomorrow about the change in gymnasts going to Spain.

XXXX

"Okay before we begin today, I have an announcement." Kim started as all the girls gathered around her. "Lauren was put in the hospital yesterday with the flu so she will not be able to compete in Spain." She informed them.

"Who is taking her place?" Alex asked stepping forward.

"Well the committee and I picked Whitney to take her spot, that is if you want it." Kim said looking at Whitney.

"Of course, I do." Whitney said smiling.

"Well you've earned it so show it off." Kim stated. "Now let's get to work." She said as the girls nodded and took their places. Kim smiled as they started their day with stretching. She could tell that it was going to be a great day.

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"Uh, Trini what are you doing here? I mean not that you're not welcome, it's just that this is a surprise." Tommy said standing in the doorway.

"Kim sent me over to help you find your passport." She said brushing past him into the house.

He closed the door and followed her into his bedroom. "I told Kim that I would find it without her help." He said leaning against the door jam.

"Well she called me and told me that but she also said that it would be faster if I helped." Trini said looking at him.

"Fine go ahead but I have already looked in here." He said with a sigh. Sometimes Kim knew him better than he did.

"Well I did find it in your sock drawer last time so maybe its there." She said pulling it open.

"No, stop." He said but it was too late.

"Thomas Oliver!" She yelled picking up the little black box. She opened it carefully and let out a scream when she saw the diamond twinkling back at her. "Oh, Kim is going to love it. When are you going to ask her?" She asked looking up at him.

"I'm not quite sure yet." He said taking the box from her and placing it back in the drawer.

"I see why you didn't want her to help you look for your passport. How long have you had it?" She asked opening another drawer. She was determined to find that passport.

"Well I had it before she left for Paris then everything happened with Kaylie and I just left it in the drawer." He said as she nodded.

"You picked out an awesome ring, the pink diamond really suits Kim perfectly." She said pulling open another drawer.

"Thanks and I told you that I searched here." He said watching her.

"Yea, yea I heard you." She said waving her hand at him. "Oh wait, where is your bag that you took to Paris?" She asked looking up at him.

"In the spare bedroom, why?" He asked as she jumped up and walked out of his room and into the spare bedroom down the hall. Tommy followed at a much slower pace. He didn't know how Jason kept up with his terror of a wife.

"I am so awesome!" She yelled as he walked through the door. "You guys are always the same. You haven't even unpacked this bag and its been over a month now." She said waving his passport in front of him.

"Thanks now give it to me so that I can put it back in that bag." He said as she shook her head no. "Why?" He asked.

"Because Kim told me that as soon as I found it, I had to give it to her. She is going to pack it for you." She explained.

"Okay fine but you can't tell her about the ring." He stated as she nodded. "I mean it Trini. I want her to be surprised so she can't know about it. Oh and don't tell anyone else, least of all your husband." He stated.

"Tell Jason, puh-lease. He couldn't keep a secret if his life depended on it." She said laughing as he nodded.

"Well he hasn't at least told anyone that we were the Power Rangers." Tommy pointed out.

"Because all of our friends were Rangers with us except for Angela but Zack already told her." She replied as Tommy thought about that. It was true that all of Jason's close friends were Rangers; it was probably a good thing. "Well I guess that I better let you get back to whatever you were doing and get your passport to Kim." She said walking back into the living room.

"Tell Kim that I will be by later." He said as Trini waved before pulling the door closed behind her. Looking around, he sighed. He had a lot to do before going to Spain. Heading back to his spare bedroom, he grabbed his bag and took it to the laundry room. He could at least start here and work his way through the house. David and Kelly would be staying at his house while he and Kaylie were gone. They wanted to buy his house from him when they moved back. He still wasn't sure about selling it but if he and Kim got married then he would probably move in with her since she needed to be close to the gym and he really liked her house better than his anyway.

XXXX

"I found it." Trini said walking into Kim's office 30 minutes later.

"Where on Earth did you find his passport?" She asked finishing her email before turning to face Trini who had taken a seat across the desk from her.

"In his bag that he had in Paris, go figure." She said setting it down on Kim's desk.

Smiling Kim picked it up and put it in her purse. "Thanks, Trini. I would hate for him to have to teleport again." She said as Trini laughed.

"Oh I know." She replied. "Are you ready for another international flight?" Trini asked leaning back against the chair.

"Yea I guess, I'm just worried about something happening again." Kim sighed as Trini nodded. She understood what Kim was saying.

"Well, Sam is in jail and I'm sure that the Spanish government will make sure that nothing happens at the competition." She said.

"It still worries me but the girls are ready to prove that they can do this." She said smiling. "Kaylie really wants to prove that she deserves to be there after Paris." Kim explained.

"It wasn't her fault that she fell but I can see where she would want to show the world that she is better than that." Trini commented before standing up. "Anyway, I need to get going, see you later." She said turning away.

"Bye." Kim said as she watched Trini leave. She turned back to her computer so that she could print off her plane tickets and get the schedule for the competition and the American Press Conference taking place before the competition. Kim knew that they would want to talk about what had happened in Paris but she intended to turn it back to gymnastics and shine a positive light on her girls. It was one of her strengths and the reason that the National Committee had asked her again to be the National Coach. She could deal with the press.

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Okay so what did everyone think? Please let me know. Also the next chapter should be out soon.


	23. Spain

A/N: I don't own anything but the concept and the girls. I hope that everyone likes this one. Okay this chapter was ready for posting last Monday but the website won't let me get it up until today. Sorry for the wait.

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"So does that happen every time?" Tommy asked as he sat Kim's bags down in her hotel room. She had told him that it wasn't necessary to carry her bags but he won't take no for an answer. He really was a true gentleman at times.

"Just about but don't worry the press have their pictures of the girls and my statement so the rest of the time you shouldn't see a reporter." She said as he nodded. "Are you hungry?" She asked. Even though they had both eaten on the plane she could still go for some fast food.

"Yea, where do you want to go?" He asked walking over to her. "I mean I don't know what's here since we are in a foreign country where I don't speak the language."

"Well there is a McDonalds down the road and I do speak a little Spanish since I have been here before." She said taking his hands in hers. "Come on." She said tugging on his hands. He just smiled and followed her out of the hotel and into the afternoon air. It was weird that they had left on an evening flight and landed in the middle of the afternoon at the airport. Tommy had never really traveled before except to Mercer Island and that wasn't an experience he wanted to do again. Walking next to Kimberly made him realize that she had been here a few times because she wasn't even holding a map. She knew where they were going and it reminded him that she could still surprise him even after all these years. Deep down he knew that Kim had travel many different places because of gymnastics but he had never thought about it till now. If they did get married where would he take her on their honeymoon that she hadn't been before? She had been to Paris, of course Spain, China, Athens for the 2004 Olympics, Sydney for the 2000 Olympics, and probably some countries that he didn't even know the name too. She had traveled all over the world for her dream.

"Earth to Tommy." Kim said cutting through his thoughts.

"Uh what?" He said shaking his head before looking down at her.

"I said we're here. Are you sure that you are up for something to eat? We can go back to the hotel so that you can sleep." She commented as he smiled.

"No, I'm fine and actually very hungry. I was just enjoying this beautiful day with you." He said pulling her close. Laughing she pulled him inside so that they could order.

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"So how close is your Uncle to Coach?" Whitney asked lying down on the bed. She was sharing a room with Kelly but had wanted to hang out in Kaylie and Alex's room.

"I guess close but they were close before I ever came in the picture." She said flipping onto to her stomach at the end of the bed. "They dated in high school before she left for Florida." She commented.

"It must be nice to have an inside track to the Coach." Whitney said as Kaylie looked over at her.

"I don't have an inside track; you know that she doesn't play favorites with any of us." She replied.

"Well funny thing to me is that you came out of nowhere and made the National Team your first time. You either had a whole lot of luck or have someone talking it up for you." She said.

"Knock it off Whitney, we all know that Coach is fair with all of us and she didn't even pick the National Team. You just angry that the one reason you got to come here was that Lauren got sick." Alex said from behind Whitney.

"I'm just saying how can a self-trained gymnast get picked over some of the country's best gymnasts to be on the National Team without any help." She said looking back at Kaylie.

"I think that you forgot that our Coach wasn't trained in a gym until she was 16 and I'm pretty sure that she didn't have any speaking up on her behalf." Alex said. "And anyway Kaylie can do moves that you have never tried and land them cleanly. It really doesn't matter that she was self-trained. She is a good gymnast."

"Whatever but if she would have gotten National Champion over you, it would be you that would think it's unfair." Whitney replied as Alex shook her head no.

"Listen, my Uncle is not with Coach just so I can be on the National Team. He really loves her and he even told her to go away when I was hurt in Paris. So you are wrong about them." Kaylie said getting up and walking outside.

"Whitney sometimes you take the mental game a little too far. You know that she earned her way onto this team and she deserves to be here more than you do at the moment. Remember that tomorrow when she is competing and getting top scores." Alex said as Whitney glared at her.

"Well you can believe what you want but I think that her Uncle is sleeping with Coach so that Kaylie gets to stay on the team. I mean my mom even noticed that they seem closer and Kaylie is benefitting from it." She said walking through the connecting door to her room. Alex shut the door and flipped the lock on it before going to find Kaylie.

XXXX

"Okay they landed and are settling in the hotels for the day. Tomorrow is practice before the competition starts." Kat informed everyone. They were having a cook-out at Jason and Trini's house. It was weird for them not having either Kim or Tommy but at least everyone else was there.

"Good now let's eat." Jason said as Trini set out the burgers, buns, chips, and anything else that you could put on a burger. Everyone stayed for a few more hours before leaving. They all had to go to work in the morning.

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"Kaylie, don't let what Whitney said eat at you." Alex said once she found her roommate.

"Its just so unfair that she thinks that Uncle Tommy has anything to do with me making the team. I know that he doesn't." She said as Alex nodded.

"I believe you and I know that the other girls do too. They know that you work hard every day to get to this point and you are good. You can land moves that most of us only dream about. You deserve this more than anyone." Alex said as Kaylie nodded.

"Thanks." She said hugging Alex before walking back to their room. Kaylie knew what she would do over the next couple of days. She was going to show everyone that her Uncle didn't get her the spot.

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"The girls are looking great, Coach Hart. I must say that I can't wait to see how your girls do since they took home Gold with one less girl in Paris." The Spanish coach said next to her.

"Thank you, they are working hard and I know that your girls will hard to beat." Kim said looking away from Alex on the beam to face the Coach. He was one of the top Coaches in the World. His girls had been tough to beat in Paris and would be even harder since this was their home turf.

"I also want you to know that we are taking security very seriously. You do not have to worry about one of your girls getting hurt because of someone tampering with any of the apparatuses." He said as she nodded.

"Thank you and thank you for hosting this meet." She said extending her hand. He took it before walking away. Kim turned back to her girls and smiled. This was going to be a great meet.

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"Okay so we start the day on the vault. I want everyone to picture each move before you make it. Connect and flow through each pass and turn." Kim said as everyone nodded. She knew they were nervous but they weren't showing it. They had their game faces on. "Okay let's go." She said as her girls stood up and made their way out onto the gym floor. Pausing she heard them called out the United States and smiling she walked the girls out. It was still a rush for her to walk out on the floor even though she was no longer competing.

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Tommy watched as Kim led her girls out and made their way to their first event. The vault was still really a mystery to him but he knew that it was a hard event. It was really just a one-shot wonder even if you had two chances on it. He was nervous for the girls. The security had been tighten here but only time would if it was enough.

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"Kaylie, you are up first. Now I want you to put Paris out of your mind and focus on your vaults." Kim said as Kaylie nodded before taking her place. She raised her hand to signal that she was ready. They raised the green flag for her. Taking off in a sprint she hit the springboard started her flip, touched the vault with her hands, and completed the rest of her flip with two twists as he feet touched the ground. She had a slight step-back but nothing to major. It shouldn't be more than a minor deduction. Kaylie smiled as she raised her arms before going back to her starting place. She would perform two vaults but only the score from her highest vault would count. Checking her wrist guards, she raised her arm again. Taking a breath she watched the green flag rise. Seconds later she sprinted once again and went for the harder move. She did a back handspring onto the springboard before flipping and touching the vault and did a one-and-half turn before landing. She did hop but her routine had a higher start value so that meant that she could still score higher even with that small hop. Kim hugged her before turning back to watch Whitney take her place.

"Go for it Whitney, you can do this." Kim yelled as Whitney raised her arm to the judges. Kim couldn't wait for Whitney to prove to the National Committee that she deserved to be here, that she was better than two weeks ago. Watching her sprint towards the vault, Kim held her breath as Whitney hit the springboard and completed a beautiful clean routine that had Kim's clapping. Whitney landed the move perfectly which had the audience clapping for her. The only thing that the judges may take off for was that she landed a little off-center.

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"Wow that was awesome." Tanya said sitting down next to Trini. The girls had all decided to come over to the gym to watch the girls perform. The gym had been given the day off so that everyone could watch the National Team perform. Kaylie had received a 9.5 for her vault and now they waited for Whitney's for her second vault. The judges finally showed her score and it wasn't as high as the first one so her score was 9.8 that she had gotten on her first vault. Up next was Kelly then finally Alex. The other teams were doing great as well. Everyone it looked like had bought their A-game.

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Tommy smiled as Kaylie landed her dismount from the uneven bars. She had landed it cleanly which made his day. Her vault wasn't the best but it was hard for her. Whitney had scored the highest with a 9.8, next was Alex with a 9.7, third was Kaylie at a 9.5, and finally was Kelly with a 9.1. She had had a big stumble on the landing but she had done better on the bars. The day was shaping up to be great.

XXXX

Kim took a breath as Kaylie stood beside the beam. It was their last apparatus for the day. The girls had powered through the vault, bars, and floor. Now it was the beam. Kim had to push past the thoughts that something was going to go wrong. Kaylie could do this routine and Kim had to believe that everything would be alright.

XXXX

Seeing the green flag, Kaylie said a prayer and flipped onto the beam. Pushing past her thoughts, she focused on her routine and started her first pass. Landing back on the beam had her smiling. She could do this. Kicking it into higher gear, she added an extra jump before going into a double arabian. Coming down, she touched the end of the beam with her toe before starting her dismount. She heard a beep in the background and knew that she had to finish up. Taking a breath she did an aerial before performing yet another double arabian full end. Once her feet touched the ground, she smiled and made sure that she didn't move. It was such an amazing moment for her that she was happy that her Uncle was in the stands watching her. It was odd that she really didn't care about her parents being there. Uncle Tommy had helped her in getting this far with her dream. Looking up into the stands, she could feel his eyes on her. Jogging back to her teammates and her Coach she waited for her scores.

"You were great." Kim said pulling her into her arms. Kaylie smiled and felt that if anyone would know how she felt at this very moment then Kimberly would. She had won so many medals and competitions that Kaylie trusted her in everything.

"Thanks." She said as her score was turned around. "Oh my goodness!" Kaylie screamed as all her teammates circled her to celebrate.

XXXX

"She scored a perfect 10!" Trini screamed jumping up.

"What does this mean?" Tanya asked. She didn't know what to think but all she knew was that Kaylie's routine was beautiful. It reminded her a little of Kim's Gold Medal performance at the Olympics.

"It means that she did everything perfectly and has gotten her first perfect 10. Now no one can tell her that she does not deserve this." Kat stated from behind the desk.

XXXX

"Now Alex its your turn. Show them what being the National Champion means." Kim said as Alex nodded and walked over to the beam. Kim stood back and watched as another one of her girls delivered a perfect performance. Screaming as Alex's feet touched the ground, Kim pulled her close as soon as she got near.

"Great job." Kaylie said next to Alex.

"Okay now Sara its your turn." Kim said as she nodded and made her way over to the beam. Kim stood off to the side as Sara performed her routine. She had two balance checks which would cost her a deduction. It was still a clean performance and would score well. "Well Whitney you're the last one, go out there and do your job." Kim said as Whitney nodded and took Sara's place.

"Sorry about the balance checks but I didn't want to fall." Sara said.

"Don't worry about it, you did great." Kim said hugging her while Whitney flipped onto the beam and did her routine.

XXXX

"So Kim's girls knocked it out of the park today." Kat said as Trini turned the TV off. When the beam rotation was complete, Kaylie and Alex were on top with perfect 10s with Whitney next with a 9.7 and Sara had earned a 9.3. It had been a great first day.

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"Kaylie, you did awesome!" Tommy said as he picked her up and swung her around. Setting her back on her feet, he kissed the top of her head before releasing her. "I'm so proud of you." He said.

"Thanks Uncle Tommy." Kaylie said before joining the others in the locker rooms.

"Kimberly Anne, I am proud of you too." Tommy said pulling her into his arms.

Laughing, Kim leaned up on her toes to place a kiss along his jaw. "I do love you." She said pulling back from him.

"And I love you. Let's go before we have the girls wondering where we are." He said as she smiled and took his hand. They walked hand-in-hand toward the locker room to wait for the girls.

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"Kaylie I owe you an apology for what I said about your Uncle getting you on the team. You proved me wrong with your scores yesterday. I guess I didn't think that you were good enough." Whitney said as Kaylie nodded. They were back at their hotel room for the night to get rested for tomorrow's all-around competition. Alex, Kaylie, and Whitney had all qualified for the all-around. Sara, Tara, and Kelly barely missed out by a few points.

"No problem, I know that it looks bad but they were a couple back in high school for three years. They finally found each other again when I started going to the gym and I'm happy for them. She makes him smile more than I have ever seen." Kaylie said with a smile.

"Do you think that they will get married?" Alex asked. She was sitting cross-legged on her bed.

"I hope so but I don't know. I mean they have to work out their jobs and houses. I'm just not sure." Kaylie said looking down at her hands. "They fit so well though. I mean he knows what to do for her no matter what's going on."

"Man they do need to get married." Whitney sighed as everyone nodded.

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So what did everyone think? Please let me know. The next chapter should be out soon.


	24. Big News

A/N: Okay so I don't own anything but the concept. I hope that everyone likes this chapter.

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"So today is basically the same as yesterday, right?" Tommy asked as Kim nodded.

"Yea it's the all-around part which only the top girls compete." Kim explained as they waited on the girls to join them this morning. They had eaten breakfast in the hotel dining room because they didn't have time to go anywhere before the meet started.

"What will the one who didn't earn enough points to compete do?" He asked leaning against the wall. The girls were taking longer than he thought they should.

"Sit on the sidelines and cheer on their teammates." She said and smiled when she noticed his look. "Its not that bad, trust me. I had to sit on the sidelines a few times."

"You? When?" He asked crossing his arms across his chest.

"My first year in Florida, Coach wanted me to earn my way just like all the other girls had too." She replied. "It was okay since I knew that I hadn't been at the gym as long as some of the girls and I had to pay my dues just like everyone else."

Sighing, he thought about what she said and knew that it was the true. It was almost the same way when he joined the Rangers after being evil. He had had to earn his way with Jason and the others but he did have a little bit of help in Kimberly. "What time is the meet?" He asked looking down at his watch. Kim had set it for the local time for him when they landed so that he wouldn't get confused.

"In about an hour, don't worry we have time since its just across the road." She said rubbing his shoulder.

"You know I just don't like waiting." He said as she smiled and nodded. She knew that all too well but what could she. It was a part of who he was and she didn't want to change anything about him.

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"We are going to be so late." Kaylie said looking around the room. She was dressed and ready to go but everyone else was still working on it. "I don't think that you need that much make-up." She said to Whitney.

"Actually the glitter is part of the game and you need more." She said stepping toward Kaylie.

"Don't you dare." Kaylie warned as Whitney shrugged before pulling on her jacket. All the girls were wearing their leos under their USA team pants and jackets.

"Okay Kaylie's right, let's go." Alex said as everyone finished up and made their way out of the room and down the hall where Kim and Tommy were waiting on them. The assistant coaches were already in the gym making sure that everything was in place for the girls.

"Its nice of you girls to join us. Are you ready to perform?" Kim asked looking the girls over.

"Yes!" They chorused as Kim smiled and led the way for them. Tommy chuckled and took his place at the back of the line and followed the girls to the gym. They looked ready for today which made him smile even more.

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Kat walked into the office and paused. Sitting on the desk were a dozen pale pink roses. Since Tommy was in Spain with Kim they had to be for her. Walking over to the desk, she grabbed the card. All it had on it was a smiley face. "What?" She asked more to herself as she leaned down and smelled of the flowers.

"Well I was wrong, you are still prettier than even a pink rose." Greg said from the doorway.

Laughing, Kat straighten up. "So you sent me the flowers?" She asked walking over to him.  
"I did." He said simply.

"How did you know that pink was my favorite?" She asked stopping just in front of him.

"I noticed that you wear a lot of pink like Kim and that was even before you started working here. The one difference is that you wear a different shade of pink than Kim does. She normally wears bright pinks whereas you wear light pinks most of the time." He said as she smiled. Apparently he had noticed what she wore which made her happy.

"I like the lighter shades." She stated looking back at the pale pink roses.

"Are you busy tonight?" He asked as she looked back at him.

"No." She replied.

"Well I wanted to grill out and watch the girls and wanted to know if you would like to join me." He stated calmly.

"That would be great." She said softly as he nodded.

"Do you want to ride with me over there? If not then you can just follow me." He said.

"I can follow you there that way you don't have to bring me back for my car." She said as he nodded again. Kissing her head, he turned and walked away leaving her staring after him.

"Man, do you like Greg." Karen said snapping Kat out of her daze.

"What makes you say that?" She asked walking over to the desk. Looking down at the flowers she held back a smile. She moved them to the side so that she could actually work.

"Well let me see, the man was walking away and all you could do was stare like he was never coming back. You also get these little stars in your eyes whenever he is around." Karen said walking into the office. She took a seat across the desk from Kat.

"I do not have stars in my eyes." Kat responded.

"Uh yea you do. You know how Kim looks whenever Tommy is near?" She asked as Kat nodded slowly. "Well that's how you look whenever Greg is near."

"Oh my goodness, how did this ever get to this point?" Kat asked rubbing her face.

"I think its his smile." Karen said with a laugh.

"I am surrounded by guys with beautiful smiles; I don't think that that is it." She replied as Karen shrugged.

"Well whatever it is, you have got it bad for him." She stated.

"Is that all you came up here to do?" Kat asked with a smile.

"No but it was fun to tease you since I didn't get to do it to Kim." She answered. "Anyway I wanted to know if you were available to help Scarlett with her floor routine." She said looking serious now. Teasing was pushed to the side as she got down to the business at hand.

"Yea I can, do you want me too today?" She asked as she moved some papers around on her desk.

"This afternoon or tomorrow, it doesn't matter. She just needs help on some of the ballet moves." She said standing up.

"Okay I will try to do it this afternoon before she leaves, well that is if I can get this desk cleared of some of the work that Kim left me." Kat said looking from Karen to the piles of paperwork on the desk.

"Better you than me because if it was left up to me, then the power would be shut off or something worse." Karen said before walking out of the office and leaving Kat with her paperwork.

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Kim watched as Alex, Kaylie, and Whitney competed on each event with the grace and precision that made her smile. It was a close race for the All-Around Gold Medal and she wasn't sure who would take it home. Her girls already had one from yesterday in the team event and tomorrow would decide the last of the medals. She was focused on today though.

Winning an All-Around medal was a big deal and would put them in a better position before the meet in China. The Chinese had the World's best on their team. She had won most of the Gold Medals last year at the Olympics and she was even better this year. She had added a triple flip as a dismount off the beam but then again she was only fourteen and could get the height required to pull off a triple flip.

Shaking her head, she watched as Kaylie took off running toward the vault. It was her second one. The last event for her would be the beam while Alex was on bars and Whitney was on the floor. She didn't know who to watch since they would be up at the same time. The assistant coaches were spread out so that they could watch the girls closely. She was at the beam which meant that she would make sure that Kaylie didn't fall off.

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"I didn't know that you knew how to cook." Kat said bringing her plate into the kitchen.

"Oh you didn't have to bring it in here. You're my guest." Greg said taking the plate from her and putting it in the sink.

"But you cooked." She protested.

"I grilled which with some people doesn't count as actually cooking." He said with smiled as she shook her head.

"Well it counts in my book." She said noticing the time. "Oh the girls are coming on." She said as he smiled. He led the way into the den where she paused.

"I don't think I have ever seen that big of a TV in anyone's home." She said as he looked from her to his 72-inch screen TV.

Scratching his head, he just had to smile. "Yea I had to get one once I moved here. I am a guy after all." He said.

"That's for sure; I think that I have a 19-inch at home." She supplied with some sass.

"Trust me once you watch this one, you will want something bigger." He said taking her hand again and leading her to the leather couch.

"I highly doubt that since I really don't watch all that much TV." She said as he laughed again. Flipping the TV on he found the sports channel that was carrying the meet.

XXXX

"Rocky what are you doing?" Aisha asked as she walked into the house.

"Watching the meet, why?" He asked looking up at her from the couch. The couch and the floor had trash all around him. Wrappers of Twinkies, honey buns, and other snacks were all around him.

"Every day I am convinced that you were born in a barn." She said.

"What's wrong?" He asked looking up at her.

"Look around you, that's what's wrong with me." She said pointing to the trash.

"What? Oh this isn't mine." He said jumping up from the mess.

"Oh and who is it? Your invisible friend? Newsflash, invisible friends don't leave visible messes." She pointed out.

"Okay no really this isn't mine. Guys get out here." He demanded. She started tapping her foot until she heard the laughter coming from the kitchen.

"You better get out here and clean up this mess." She yelled as Jason, Zack, Billy, and Adam filed out of the kitchen and into the living. "Clean it up before I call your wives or girlfriends." She said as they nodded and got to work. "Where are the women in your life anyway?" She asked as the front door opened.

"What happened here?" Trini asked as she walked in carrying a bag of groceries.

"The boys decided to set Rocky up which was easy considering he was wrapped up in the TV." Aisha said. "What did you buy?" She asked when Tanya, Hayley, and Angela walked in.

"Food since Adam called and said that you didn't have any. We decided that since you were hosting, we would provide the food." Tanya said walking past her into the kitchen.

"When did I decide to host?" Aisha asked following the girls.

"Well when I called earlier Rocky said it would be okay but I guess we should have called the clinic." Hayley stated as Aisha sighed.

"No it's not a problem as long as I don't have to cook. It was a hard day today." She said pulling out one of the barstools and sitting down.

"I told you to just do small animal and leave the large animal to other people." Trini said grabbing pots and pans as the other girls put the food away until she needed it.

"I like doing large animal. They also don't have prissy owners who get worried over a hair being out of place." Aisha commented as Hayley laughed. The other girls had heard it all before and knew that Aisha really loved being a veterinarian.

"Hey those prissy owners are your bread and butter, missy." Trini replied as she grabbed a knife and went to work on the vegetables.

"Sometimes you scared me with the way you wield that knife." Angela said watching Trini and trying to keep her distance.

"At least the knife is not her power daggers." Jason said walking in with an armload of trash.

"Are you about finished cleaning up?" Aisha asked as Adam, Billy, and Zack came in next.

"We done and if I had known that it would take that long then we wouldn't have done it." Adam commented as Billy and Zack nodded.

"Let that be a lesson." Trini said pointing the knife at her husband.

"Whoa now watch where you point that thing. I don't want bloodshed in my kitchen." Aisha stated as Jason nodded in agreement.

"Hey if everyone stays in the kitchen then you are going to miss Kim's girls." Rocky hollered from the living room. Everyone but Trini and Aisha joined Rocky to watch Kim lead the girls out.

"So when do you think Tommy will ask Kim to marry him?" Aisha asked leaning back in the chair.

Trini scooped up the cut vegetables and put them in the pan before grabbing the meat from the fridge. "I don't know." She said without looking over at Aisha. She tried not to show anything that might suggest she knew more about this.

"He better do it soon, I want to attend their wedding while I still have my figure." She said as Trini stopped what she was doing to look at her.

"What does that mean, Aisha?" Trini asked as Aisha smiled.

"I'm pregnant!" She yelled as Trini set the knife down and ran over to her.

"Have you told anyone else?" She asked as Aisha shook her head no.

"You know I should have been the first to know." Rocky said from the doorway.

"I just couldn't hold back anymore." She said standing up as Rocky walked over to her and pulled her into his arms.

"Kim is going to kill you since she wasn't here to hear it first-hand." Tanya pointed out as Trini and Angela nodded. Everyone had come running when they had heard Aisha's shout.

"Speaking up Kim, the meet will be starting in twenty minutes." Jason informed them.

"Dinner will be ready by then but for now everyone out." Trini said walking back over to the stove.

XXXX

Kim knew that her friends were back home watching the girls just like she and Tommy. It had come down to this final event for the girls. She watched as Kaylie hit the springboard and flipped onto the beam. It was a hard mount and one that would earn her more points. She did a series of moves that would show off her flexibility before performing an aerial that just looked so easy than anyone could do it. Kim knew that not just anyone could do it but Kaylie was doing her job. Taking a breath, she watched the rest of Kaylie's routine and had to smile. Kaylie's beam work was getting better with each competition. It was so natural that you thought she had been born to perform on 4 inches of wood.

As Kaylie completed her dismount, Kim looked past her to Alex on bars. She was hitting her handstands and making her transitions from low bar to high bar look beautiful and effortless. The girl who had gone before her had missed one of her transitions and had fallen off. It was a big deal when a gymnast fell off the bars because it was normally during a difficult move that they did. Alex was gearing up for her dismount which would be a blind landing for her. It was one that she had been practicing since Paris but was still nervous on. Kim held her breath and Alex released the bar and sailed through the air with various twists and turns. She finally released the breath as Alex's feet touched the ground. She had a small hop but she landed it.

Shifting, Kim found Whitney dancing on the floor before lining up for her final pass. She paused for only a moment then took off running and hit her first flip mid-floor and continued into a back handspring, double layout, front flip combination. She touched the ground and managed to stay inside the white line. She came down on one knee to end her performance. Smiling, Kim waited for her girls to join her for their scores. She didn't know who was going to take home the Gold for All-Around but at this moment it didn't really matter.

XXXX

"Alex just missed it by a tenth of a point." Greg said with a groan. A Russian would be taking home the Gold today but Alex was right behind with the Silver Medal and one of the girls from the Spanish team had earned the Bronze Medal. Kaylie and Whitney were in fourth and fifth place so they hadn't been too far behind and almost got a medal.

"Well the Event Finals are tomorrow so there is still a chance for more medals." Kat said standing up. She had to get home before it got too much later. "Thanks for inviting me tonight and for cooking." She said gathering up her shoes and purse.

"I'm glad that you enjoyed everything." He said standing as well. He watched as she slipped her shoes back on and made her way to the door. Sighing he beat her there and opened it for her.

"I did enjoy it. Thanks again." She said leaning up and kissing him before walking outside and to her car. Smiling, Greg watched Kat cranked her car and pulled out of the drive before he shut the door.

XXXX

"So one more of day of this?" Tommy asked as Kim nodded. "You know I remember watching you on TV but I don't remember it taking more than one day." He said sitting down next to her. She had been sitting down outside near the pool when Tommy went in search for her.

"Well normally ESPN only shows one day and the highlights from the other days unless it's the Olympics then you get to see almost everything." She said leaning into him.

"What country is next?" He asked softly.

Kim sighed and relaxed further into him. "China and it will test the girls more than any other." She stated as he nodded. She couldn't see him nod but she could feel it. Being out here with him, reminded her of High School. They used to sit in Angel Grove Park by themselves and just talk about everything. It had started out with her helping him about being the Green Ranger then losing his powers. They had become best friends in that time. Closing her eyes, she rested in the fact that she loved Tommy more today than she did in high school and that was saying something. She thought he hung the moon then and now she knew the real man that held her close. They had grown up but they were closer now than they have ever been.

"Come on, let's get you to bed." He said scooping her up into his arms before standing up with her.

"I can walk." She said with a laugh.

"I know." He grinned back at her. He did finally put her down but only once he got her hotel room door. Kissing he bid her goodnight before heading to his room. Kim shook her head before going into her room and changing into her pjs. She got in the bed ten minutes later and was sound asleep seconds later.

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So what did everyone think? Please let me know. I know that this chapter had more on the others and lots of fluff but it was perfect for it. Anyway the next chapter should be out.


	25. Home Again

A/N: Okay I am sorry that this is late but last week, I wanted to focus on the last chapter for Best Friends. Anyway I hope that everyone likes this chapter.

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"Kat what are you doing up here when everyone else is downstairs watching the girls compete?" Trini asked from the doorway. The assistant coaches had all agreed to let the girls watch the sportscast if they wanted too since it was the Event Finals.

"I'm arranging flights for China for the National Team. Kim was supposed to do it when she got back but the National Committee asked me to do it today." Kat stated as she clicked print on the computer. The printer hummed behind her as it print off the boarding passes.

"But they don't know who is going to China yet." Trini pointed out as Kat nodded.

"That's true but they do know that six girls are going so I am stuck doing this." She said grabbing the paper off the printer and putting it in a folder for Kim to look over later.

"Well I think that you need a break, you have been at it all morning. Now come on and watch." Trini said walking over to her. She grabbed her hand and pulled her out from behind the desk.

"Okay, okay, man you are strong for being such a little thing. Anyway I guess I can finish this when the meet is over." She said as Trini nodded.

"Come on, its about to start." Trini stated as Kat sighed. Sometimes she wondered how she was ever friends with the other rangers. They were all pushy and liked to get their own way. It really was a good thing that Kat was so even tempered or they would have a fight on their hands. Walking downstairs she noticed that the girls had dragged out chairs from the parent's section so that they could sit in them. Smiling Kat sat down next to Trini and watched the screen panned across the arena before stopping on Kim and the girls. She also noticed that Tommy was standing beside Kim and wondered how he had managed that. Kim must have pulled some strings to get him down there.

XXXX

"You know that you have three surgeries today." Aisha's Vet Tech, Rachel informed her as Aisha turned from the TV in the corner.

"I know but I can at least listen to the broadcast." Aisha replied with a smile. All the Vet Techs knew that Aisha loved to watch the meets even though her best friend wasn't competing any longer.

"Well at least the surgeries are routine." Rachel stated with a shrug.

"Nothing is ever routine around here." Aisha commented before grabbing a chart so that she could start seeing her patients. Something always goes wrong on the surgery table.

XXXX

Alex took a breath before raising her arms and smiling to the judges. Today had been hard because she was a little sore from yesterday. She didn't know why but she thought that she had come down wrong on her ankle when she landed her dismount from the uneven bars. It wasn't unbearable though and she didn't want to sit out the finals because of a twinge. Lowering her arms, she took off running toward the vault. She hit the springboard and sailed over the vault and landed with only a small hop. Since it was the finals, this one vault would count. She wished that she could perform one more time but at least she had landed the vault. She raised her arms and smiled at the judges once more but walking off the mat. Her ankle was killing her now but she wasn't giving in. Once she got back to their team's area, she sat down next to her bag and rolled her ankle slowly to work out the pain. She didn't want Kim to know about it though so she moved her bag to block Kim's view of her movements. They had only one event to go and that was the beam. She, Kaylie, and Sara would perform on it. She wondered why Coach didn't have Whitney performing on the beam since she was really good on it but Sara had posted top scores the first day on the beam. Sighing she rubbed her ankle just a little harder to ease the ache.

XXXX

Kaylie watched as Whitney waited for the judges okay to begin her vault. Looking over at Alex, she almost spoke but stopped. Alex was in pain. It had to be her ankle because she was trying to hide the fact that she was rolling it slowly. Rest was the only thing that would work but she knew that it wasn't her place to tell Alex to sit out. Besides she had pushed through pain several times in the past and knew that Kimberly had done the same thing. Uncle Tommy had told her that Kim had pushed through pain, injuries, and much more when she working with her Coach before she left for Florida. Sometimes it still amazed her that her Uncle and Coach were a part of the Original Power Rangers. She didn't know how they had done it at their age because she couldn't even dream of doing regular school and try to save the World every day. They also had outside activities that they still did.

Sighing she turned back and watched Whitney landed her vault. It was a good vault but a little off-center and she had to take a step back. It would cost her but not too much, Kaylie hoped. Moving around Alex, she made her way up to the mat. It was her turn to attack the vault and she was ready. She took her place and got the judges' nod before taking off. Pushing her fears to the back of her mind, she cartwheeled onto the springboard, made her turn, touched the vault and finished her rotation before planting her feet on the blue mat. She was a little unstable but she held her ground and finally stood up with her arms raised high. It was the best feeling just to stick that landing on the vault.

XXXX

"She stuck the landing." Tommy stated as Kim nodded. Kaylie's vault had been the most difficult out of the three girls and she had been worried about Kaylie sticking the landing. Up until now, she had always taken a step back or hopped a little. Kim grabbed Kaylie into a hug before they moved to their next and final event, the beam.

Tommy smiled and grabbed Kim's stuff before following them. One of her assistant coaches was out so he told her that he would help her out today. He really just wanted to stand beside as her girls competed in the final events. Thankfully she had agreed to let him stand beside her. He knew that she didn't want to shift her focus from her girls to him and he understood that. She was there for them, not to hang onto him. They made their way around the floor to the seats behind the beam. Setting Kim's stuff down, he watched as Sara unzipped her jacket and slipped out of her pants. This was her first event of the day and she had been waiting for it. He stayed back as Kim talked to her girls and gave them one last pep-talk before they closed everyone out and focused on their routines. He had watched Kim do the same thing plenty of times. She had explained it to him that she always wanted a mental picture of her routine before she got on the beam. She said that it helped her land each element flawlessly most of the time. The times that she had messed up, she told him that she hadn't pictured her routine before-hand.

Looking back at the beam, he almost wished that he could watch her perform. He knew that she got on the beam back at her gym but competition was different. She would put on a show during a competition.

XXXX

"You know I think Kim's girls end almost every competition on the beam. I wonder why that is?" Rocky said from behind the girls. He had made his way to the gym so that he could watch with the others. Some of the girls had shushed him loudly. Sticking his tongue out, he received dirty looks from the girls.

"I don't think you want to make them mad." Kat said beside him. "They are teenage girls." She pointed out as he laughed. He received more dirty looks then. What he couldn't understand was why they were giving him those looks. It was on a commercial break at the moment.

"You know I hear that you are dating some guy but I haven't met him yet. Is he a ghost or something?" He whispered as the sportscast came back on.

"You know very well that Greg exists and yes you get to meet him." Kat whispered back to him.

"When? You know I'm not getting any younger." He stated quietly.

"Soon and why would that matter?" She asked wondering.

"In case I need to have a talk with him, he can't just play with you heart." He said folding his arms across his chest.

Smiling she slipped one arm around his waist and squeezed. "I do love you, ape-man but Greg is not playing with my heart and you will meet him soon, I promise." She whispered as he smiled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. They stood like that while they watched Sara dismount and Alex get ready to take her turn.

XXXX

"You know, if I didn't know Katherine that well and if he wasn't married, I would be a little bit jealous." Greg said to Karen. They were at the back of the gym watching one of the other TVs.

"Well if its any help, I know that she is not in love with him. They are all just really close friends." She said as he nodded.

"Some of them are married." He said with a smile.

"Very yeah that's true but she likes you." She replied.

"Well I like her or really more than like but its too soon. We haven't known each other that long." He confided.

"If it helps, Kim knew the moment that she saw Tommy she was in love. These people apparently fall in love at first sight; it just takes them a little while to figure it out." She stated.

Looking down at her, he had to smile. "You know way too much about them to not have been around them for years."

"Yea I know but Kim is a talker and she just wants everyone to be a part of the group." She said.

"Kim is one of a kind." He stated looking back at the TV. Alex had just gotten her scores and now it was Kaylie's turn to rock the beam.

XXXX

Kaylie took a breath as she heard the beep. She began her dismount and touched the blue mat seconds later. Holding her breath, she tried to hold her ground but had to take a step forward to balance herself. It wasn't a stick but at least she didn't fall. Raising her arms in the air, she smiled and headed back to her coach. She couldn't wait to see her score.

"Good job, Kaylie." Whitney said as soon as she neared the team.

"Thanks, you should have been up that too." She said hugging her teammates as they announced her score.

"You got a 9.5, awesome." Kelly said.

"What? A 9.5, that means, that means…" She said trying to breath.

"That means that you are taking home the Gold." Kim said from behind her. The judges for the beam today had been very strict with every move. Most of the other girls had scored a 9.4 or lower. Alex had come in second with a 9.4. Two of Kim's girls were taking home medals on the beam. It was the only event that the USA team had medaled today but they had performed well throughout the entire competition and Kim was proud of them.

XXXX

"Welcome home." Trini said hugging Kim as soon as she walked through the gym doors.

"Thanks and I hope that nothing happened while I was gone." Kim said looking over at Kat.

"No but we are having a cookout tomorrow so that Rocky can meet Greg and give him the talk while he is still young." She said laughing.

"You know Rocky gave me that talk." Trini piped in causing Kat to look over at her.

"When was that?" She asked as Kim sat down on the couch and flipped through the folder that Kat had handed her.

"Right before she was to walk down the aisle I thought that we were going to have to call the EMTs." Kim said without looking up.  
"What? Are you serious?" Kat asked. Sometimes her friends still shocked her with their timing.

"Yea." Trini confirmed.

"Wait, why did he warn you and not Jason?" Kat asked.

"Because apparently I was the one that could break his heart since he claimed that I would never let a man even Jason break mine." She said sitting down next to Kim on the couch.

"He's right." Kim commented.

"Whatever, anyway how was Spain?" Trini asked as turning the subject.

"Spain was great and the girls did very well." Kim supplied shutting the folder and placing it on the table.

"We saw that Tommy was standing beside you. How did he pull that?" Kat asked with a smile.

"One of the assistant coaches got sick and couldn't make it so Tommy asked if he could help out." She informed them. "It was actually sort of nice to have him down there beside me."

"Yea we could tell." Kat said as Trini laughed and nodded.

"What? What do you mean?" Kim asked clearly puzzled about what they were talking about.

"Well you sort of stand a little different whenever Tommy is beside you, its like you let down your guard. You know that he is there to catch you when you fall." Trini supplied as Kim thought about what she said. Now that she thought about it, they were right. It was something that she had always done even in high school. There was some part of her that knew that Tommy would protect her and just be there. It was just second nature to her now so she didn't think about it anymore. The girls talked for a while longer until Kim walked downstairs to see how practice was going.

XXXX

"Kim, you finally made it." Aisha said almost dragging Kim out of her car.

"Ouch!" Kim stated. "You know I can get out of my car all by myself." She said as Aisha released her arm.

"I'm sorry, its just that you are late." She said looping her arm through Kim's.

"Aisha, I had to unpack and grab a shower before I came over here. You know I know that Rocky eats a lot but he always makes sure that I have food." Kim said trying to figure out what was going on with Aisha.

"Oh I know that and besides the boys just fired up the grill." She said causing Kim to really wonder what was going.

"Aisha, what is going on?" She finally asked as Aisha pushed her through the front door.

"I have some news and before you get mad, the others already know." She stated.

Kim sat down on the couch and waited for Aisha to explain what had her up in arms. After several minutes of Aisha pacing Kim sighed and grabbed Aisha's hands. "I'm not going to get mad about the others knowing but I will blow my top if you don't stop pacing and tell me what's wrong." She informed her.

"Sorry, its just that, well, uh… I'm pregnant!" She said as Kim jumped up and pulled her close.

"I can't believe it! This is awesome." Kim said releasing Aisha before hugging her again.

"So you're not angry that the others knew before you?" She asked pulling back.

"When did you tell them?" Kim asked.

"Two days ago and really it was Trini's fault. You know that woman has a way of just figuring things out." Aisha said as Kim laughed. She knew that well enough.

"Yes she does, oh you know maybe I should ask her to figure out if Tommy had bought an engagement ring?" Kim asked sitting down again.

"You want him to propose?" Aisha asked sitting down beside her.

"I love him and want to spend the rest of my life with him. I mean we have been apart some many years and I don't want to lose him again." She said as Aisha nodded. She knew what Kim was talking about. She and Tommy had a love that had survived a break-up and thousands of miles apart. They had finally rediscovered that the fire was burning and she wanted to take the next step.

"Maybe he has a ring and is just waiting on the right time but I would have Trini to find out for you. I mean who can say no to the Original Yellow?" She asked as Kim laughed.

"What are you two doing in here?" Rocky asked from the doorway. He had a 'Kiss the Cook' apron on that had Aisha shaking her head.

"Please tell me that Tommy, Jason, or Adam is supervising you." Aisha said standing up.

"Okay I am a grown man and can grill, you know woman you have so little faith in me." He said turning around and walking back through the kitchen to the backyard.

"I think you've hurt his feelings." Kim said with a smile.

"Nah, Rocky has a tough skin and besides he loves it when I tease him about grilling." Aisha stated with a laugh.

"How is the proud papa?" Kim asked.

"Ask him but be prepared for his answer." Aisha warned as Kim nodded and went in search of former Red Ranger.

XXXX

"Okay so are you ready for this?" Kat asked as she pulled into Rocky and Aisha's driveway behind Kim.

"Kat, they are your friends and I know some of them already. Don't worry so much." He said leaning over and kissing her cheek. He had finally agreed to Kat driving him over here because her other suggestion had been to drive separately. She was just so independent sometimes but it was one of the things that he liked about her. "Come on." He said opening his door and getting out. He made his way over to her side and helped her out. They walked hand-in-hand to the front door and was greeted by Aisha.

"I'm glad to see that you could make it." She said opening the front door. "Everyone else is out back watching over Rocky and the grill." She said stepping aside so that they could come in.

"Thanks Aisha." Kat said as she led Greg out back. Aisha followed them out back. She noticed that Kim had cornered Rocky. A split second later, Rocky had grabbed Kim and swung her high up in the air while she screamed in delight.

"Don't drop my girlfriend or I will have to make Aisha a widow." Tommy warned with a laugh. Jason just shook his head and went back to grilling.

"Why are you manning the grill? I thought that that was Rocky's job." Aisha asked placing her hands on her hips.

Jason looked up at her and she saw a twinkle of humor there. "Oh please, you know that I always grill when we get together. I saw Rocky grabbing his special sauce from the garage."

"What special sauce? And from the garage?" Aisha asked trying to put two and two together.

"Anti-freeze." Adam piped in as Aisha just stared at him.

"What?" She asked.

"He claims that it makes it taste better. He saw it on some show or something." Jason said flipping the burgers.

"Anti-freeze is poisonous." She said as Jason and Adam nodded.

"We know and that's why I took over." Jason said as she looked back at her husband. She was really going to have to cut off that exotic cooking show. He was going to kill somebody someday if he followed them. Looking over at him, he had finally sat Kim back on her feet and was hugging the Original Pink Ranger tightly.

"Kat, are you going to introduce us?" Jason asked looking up from the grill.

"Greg this is Jason at the grill, Adam standing beside him, and Aisha, guys this is Greg." She said as Greg shook their hands. "You already know Tommy, Trini, and Kim but the guy who picked Kim up was Rocky." She said as Tommy, Trini, Kim, and Rocky walked over to them.

"Its nice to meet everyone." Greg said.

"Yea well my wife is going to be late her name is Tanya and Zack and Angela couldn't get here." Adam informed him.

"Well I'm just glad that you invited me." Greg said as everyone asked him questions and answered his. Standing back, Kat wondered why she had been nervous about him meeting them. They were her friends for a reason. They didn't shun anyone from their group.

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Okay so what did everyone think? Please let me know. Also the bit about the ant-freeze and grilling comes from The A-Team movie. Rocky reminds me so much of Murdock. The next chapter should be out soon.


	26. Dinos

A/N: I don't own anything but the concept and the girls. I hope that everyone enjoys this chapter.

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"So what did Greg think about everyone last night?" Kim asked as Kat walked in the following morning.

"Well he never wants to eat anything prepared by Rocky but other than that he loved it." She said with a smile.

"Just don't let him eat anything Rocky grills but other than that Rocky is an amazing cook. I mean he has the best restaurant in Angel Grove." Kim pointed out as they walked up the office.

"I may take Greg there one day." Kat said as Kim laughed.

"Just don't tell him that Rocky cooks the food until he eats." She stated. "Oh did the National Committee need the plane tickets for China today?" She asked walking over to her desk. Kat took one of the chairs across from the desk and started pulling files off the corner.

"Actually they wanted it the last day you were in Spain, so I took care of it." She stated. "Here is everything I sent them and they approved it." She said handing the files to Kim. Flipping through it, Kim smiled. Kat had done wonderful. This was better than even she could have done.

"This is great." Kim responded. "Also I have a surprise for you." She said standing up as two men came in with a desk.

"Kim, what have you done?" Kat asked watching the men set the desk down against one of the walls.

"Well you have helped me so much here and I know that you haven't had time to look for a job since you have been here, I thought that it was time to get you a desk. This office has never run better and you use it more than I do." She said as more guys bought in a computer and set it on the new desk. "If you need anything else, let me know." Kim said before going downstairs. Kat watched as the computer was set up for her. Kim was awesome for doing this and she really did like the job. She also got to help out the girls whenever they needed her too. This was perfect.

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Kim watched as Kaylie attempted a double layout dismount from the bars. Kaylie landed face first on the mat. "You need to explode off the bars to get the height to achieve the landing." She said walking over to the gymnast. "I'm not sure that you need to try anything new before China. You don't have enough time to get it perfect." She stated.

"But the Chinese have higher abilities than we do." Kaylie pointed out.

"I know but we also don't need you hurt before the meet even starts." Kim pointed out. "I don't doubt that you will land it, just don't work on it before China." She said before turning to watch Scarlett on the beam. Scarlett's beam work was getting better. She had been training very hard and it was paying off. Turning slightly, Kim watched Alex perform her vault. Watching her closely, she knew that Alex's ankle was hurting even more. Making her way over to her, Kim prepared what she was going to tell the gymnast.

"Coach, what's wrong?" Alex asked adjusting her wrist guard.

"How bad is your ankle?" Kim asked as she drew nearer.

"My ankle? Nothing's wrong with my ankle." Alex stated as Kim sighed.

This was going to be harder than she thought. "You know I fell off the beam when I pushed my body too hard." Kim said.

"What?" Alex asked.

"Yea, I had been training harder than I ever had and pushed my body. When I woke up I was in a hospital bed with Tommy at my side. Now I know you came down too hard on that ankle in Spain. I didn't say anything because I know that you know your limits and it was a competition that you deserve to finish but this is practice. I want you to take a week off." She finished.

"What? A week, what am I going to do for a week?" Alex asked still trying to process the fact that her coach had asked her to take a break. Coach Hart had never asked anyone to take a break because of an injury that she had known of.

"You can take it easy maybe help out so of the younger girls nailed their moves." Kim said.

"How did you know?" Alex asked.

"On the beam, you had a slight balance check on one of your moves. It was a move that you had down cold. Now its only a week but it will give your ankle time to heal. We don't need you risking further injury." Kim said as Alex nodded. "Now I think that Kaylie could use your help. She is trying a new dismount from the bars and is having some problems." Kim said with a smile before walking away. Alex sighed and walked over to the bars. Her ankle did hurt and hopefully this week would help it. She didn't want to miss China. It would be the meet to show how good of a gymnast you were.

XXXX

Tommy gathered up the test papers that the students had placed on his desk. He hoped that these grades were better than last times. He had gotten a call last night about the opening next year in Angel Grove High School. It had been hard to tell them that he would get back with them. He wanted to take the job on the spot but he had to think about what it would mean to Kim and Kaylie. It wasn't just his life he had to consider but theirs as well. He also had to think about his house. He knew that David wanted to buy it from him but he hadn't made any steps to buy it from him. There was one other problem, his basement. He had the Dinos Command Center still intact, which would need to be moved to somewhere else before he sold the house.

"Dr. O, shouldn't you be heading out." A man dressed in red said from the door.

"I will once I …" He said turning. "Connor, what are you doing here?" He asked as Connor laughed and walked into the room with Trent, Ethan, and Kira right behind him.

"We wanted to pay you a visit since you never come see us." Kira said giving him a hug.

"Yea even though you have been to Paris and Spain recently." Ethan piped in as Tommy laughed.

"Yea well my niece is a gymnast on the National Team and I want to be there for her." He said closing his briefcase. "What brings you here?" He asked looking up at them.

"We are out on break and wanted to meet your friends since we never got too last year." Connor said as Tommy nodded.

"Well you will have to follow me back to Angel Grove to do that since they all live there." He informed them.

"They live in Angel Grove? All of them?" Trent asked looking skeptical.

"Well all of them but Zack, he and his wife Angela live in Los Angeles at the moment but they do have a house in Angel Grove that they stay in when they are in town." He said.

"What are we waiting for?" Connor asked.

"Come on." He said as the four of them followed Tommy to the parking lot.

"You know I think I will ride with Dr. O, Connor almost killed me on the ride here." Ethan said as Kira and Trent laughed. Tommy shook his head and let Ethan get in. He was glad that they had stayed friends after giving up their powers. He had been worried because they hadn't started off as friends but being rangers had bonded them more than anything ever could.

XXXX

"Release!" Alex shouted to Kaylie. Kim smiled at the two of them. Since Alex would be helping Kaylie, she had given her okay to go for the harder dismount. Alex could help her better than Kim could. It was a move that Alex had done time and again.

"What has you smiling?" Karen asked.

"You could sneak up on a ninja." Kim commented. "Anyway I'm smiling at Alex and Kaylie. It seems Alex is a tougher coach than I am."

"She just knows how to be a good coach, you taught her that." Karen said with a smile of her own.

"You know, you are just too good for me." She said walking away. Karen just shook her head and watched Kim tell Whitney something before jumping up on the beam to show her the move. There was something about Kim showing the girls that always made her want to see Kim really compete. She had seen the old footage and knew that Kim had been the best. The moves that she pulled on the beam alone showed everyone that the impossible could be done on four inches of wood. Karen knew that some coaches just yelled and screamed at their girls, Kim didn't do that. She whispered or talked normally to the girls and when they didn't understand, she showed them what she wanted. It was one of the reasons that the National Committee loved her as the head coach. She taught the girls and let them build off of her. They were better because of her.

XXXX

"Wow this place is amazing. I can't believe that Kaylie trains here." Connor said as he stepped in the door.

"Kim designed it." Tommy stated from beside the former Red Dino Ranger.

"Kim?" Kira asked looking at him.

"Kimberly Hart as in this man's girlfriend." Kim said walking up to them. "You are late." She said to Tommy as he nodded.

"Oh you can blame this time on us." Kira said. "We wanted to meet his friends."

"His friends? Tommy has friends, I'm not sure that I was aware of this." Kim laughed as Tommy pulled her into a hug.

"I missed you." He whispered before kissing her.

"Okay so who are they?" Kim whispered back.

"This is Connor, Kira, Ethan, and Trent, they were the Dinos." Tommy said as the four of them stared at him. He had always told them not to reveal the fact that they were rangers and he had just told his girlfriend.

"They were; this is awesome." Kim said smiling at them.

"Whoa I think we need to talk about the fact that you just reveal our secret without telling us." Connor said looking a little angry at Tommy.

Laughing Tommy looked at him. "Its really okay since she was one of the Originals." He informed them. "Do you even remember my video?" He muttered.

"What? You were…" Kira started as Kim laughed.

"Yea I was the Original Pink and on the team long before this mutli-ranger was." Kim said pulling out of Tommy's arms. "I think that we need to talk about more of this later. Everyone can come over to my house." Kim stated before walking back to the girls. She dismissed them so that they could get changed and leave with their parents.

"I can't believe I just met the Original Pink." Kira breathed. She was almost in shock.

"I can't wait to meet the others." Connor said as Tommy just smiled. He should have invited them earlier.

XXXX

"So tell me how it happened." Kim demanded after sitting down. Everyone else was already sitting in her living room talking with the Dinos. Zack and Angela had even driven up for the week. They wanted to meet Greg since they had missed last night even though he wasn't here tonight. Hayley was even here with Billy. Kim was secretly smiling at those two. They looked like the perfect couple and she couldn't wait to talk to Billy alone about that.

"It started with getting detention." Kira said as she, Connor, Ethan, Trent, Hayley, and Tommy described their time as rangers. Nothing was left out not even the fact that Tommy had been in the hospital. Kim had grabbed his hands when Connor had mentioned that fact. He had whispered in her ear that he was fine and that he was still with her.

"Man I wish Zedd and Rita would have been like Mesogogg." Rocky stated. They didn't know what he meant by that.

"Rocky, what did you mean? Mesogogg wanted to turn the human race back into dinosaurs." Aisha said.

"Oh I didn't mean that just that he didn't really do anything like Zedd and Rita. I mean look how many times Kim was captured." He said.

"Hey!" Kim stated. "I didn't get captured that much just a few times." She said.

"Yea a few times more than anyone else including Tommy." Jason said with a smile.

"Now I can't help that." Kim said.

"Anyway Zedd and Rita attack our lives as much as they attacked Angel Grove." Rocky said.

"Rocky's right, they turned most of our things into monsters for us to fight." Trini said thinking about Kim's purse and lipstick that had been monsters.

"They also wore us down to the point of exhaustion. I mean Kim was in the hospital." Kat said as everyone nodded.

"I can't believe that you were the ones that started everything." Kira said in awe.

"Well we didn't want too when Zordon had chosen us. It took a little convincing from Jason and an attack by the putties to really convince us." Trini said with a smile.

"Yea we knew that we were the only ones that could possibly do the job. It took a little time but we learned the ropes and became better friends for it." Kim said looking at everyone.

"Best friends." Aisha piped in. The dinos began asking questions about some of the monsters and different places that they had been such as Phaedos. It shocked them that they had been out of the solar system to visit a planet for new powers. It just didn't seem possible.

"How did you two fight together and date?" Connor asked looking at Tommy and Kimberly.

"It was tough but we managed. I think the hardest part was that we were each other's weaknesses." Kim reflected. "Zedd and Rita knew that and it made it harder."

"What do you mean?" Kira asked.

"A team is only as strong as the weakest link and our relationship was a weak link sometimes. When one of us was hurt, the other felt it. When one was captured, the other went crazy trying to find them." Kim said as Tommy nodded.

"Their relationship wasn't always the weakest link though." Jason said. "They fought better together and were strong in each other."

"I can't believe the battles that you fought and the things that you had to go through." Ethan commented.

"Yea Rita even stole our parents, we gave up our powers to get them back but of course that didn't work." Billy said.

"What happened?" Trent asked.

"Tommy came back and risked his life to get back our power coins." Kim said.

"Yea he did." Zack said.

"Its just weird to think that Dr. O was the Green Ranger, White Ranger, and the Red Ranger before becoming the Black Ranger." Connor said stretching his legs out in front of him.

"Don't worry its weird for us too. I mean we never know when the rainbow ranger will strike again." Jason said punching Tommy's arm. Kim just shook her head and yawned.

"Well guess we need to get home, since its late." Trini said as everyone stood up. They said their goodbyes and drove away. Tommy stepped back inside and saw Kim busy in the kitchen. She was loading the dishwasher. Coming up behind her, he wrapped her in his arms.

"You should go to bed." He said.

"I know but I need to get this cleaned-up before I do." She said turning in his arms. "Are you staying?"

"If you want me too." He said as she nodded. Smiling he leaned down and kissed her before backing away to help her with the clean-up.

XXXX

Sunlight poured through the window as Kim opened her eyes. Tommy had already left since he had to pick Kaylie up. David and Kelly had picked her up at the gym yesterday. They had wanted to spend some time with her since they were back in town for a few days. Kim got up and jumped in the shower to get ready for the day.

Thinking about last night, Kim wished that she could have talked to Trini. She wanted her thoughts on if Tommy would purpose to her. Seeing all her friends getting married just made her want to take that step but only with Tommy. She had dreamed of marring him when they had been in high school. Everyone thought that they only had a puppy love in high school. She had to disagree with that. Saving the world had opened her eyes in ways that had scared her at the time. Dating Tommy in high school and what she felt for him then was the same as now. The only difference was that she loved him even more now. The night he picked her up at the bar had shown her that. Tommy had caused her pain but he knew how to help her. He knew her better than anyone else including her mother. Most of the time, it seemed like he knew what she was thinking before she could even tell him. Walking out the front door, she smiled. It was going to be a wonderful day.

XXXX

Okay so what did everyone think? Please let me know. The next chapter should be out soon.


	27. Alex

A/N: I don't own anything but the concept and the girls. I hope that everyone enjoys this chapter.

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"Okay I just want you to do a simple dismount, nothing fancy." Kim said as Alex nodded. Alex had done as she was told for the past week and now she was ready to get back to training. She had helped Kaylie with her dismount from the bars. Kaylie was nailing it every time now. Climbing onto the beam, Alex took a breath and tested her weight on the beam. She adjusted slightly and did a simple layout into a back handspring off of the beam.

Kim watched each move and smiled as Alex's feet touched the mat and held her up. "How is it?" She asked when Alex walked over to her.

"Its feels a little weak but its not hurting anymore." She said truthfully.

"The weakness could be from the week off but take it easy today and just work on the floor. Don't try the others quite yet." Kim said as Alex nodded. She knew that Kim was only looking out for her and didn't want her to hurt her ankle even more.

XXXX

_Two Weeks Later_

"So Alex's ankle is looking good her dismounts have improved." Karen mentioned to Kim. They had been watching over the gymnast very closely to watch for any signs that her ankle was hurting her.

"Yes it has and I for one am happy." Kim replied. "I may have her to wrap it for National Team practice tomorrow, just in case."

"Actually Alex said that she would be wrapping it just to make sure that she didn't hurt it more." Karen informed her.

Kim just had to smile over that. "She is a much better gymnast than I ever was because I didn't take that precaution." She stated before walking away. If she would have shown Alex's character then she wouldn't have been working out after the ranger battle that day. No she should have taken the time to regroup and get some rest. Walking up to her office, Kat handed her the mail for the day.

"I think that you should look at the one on top last." Kat stated as Kim nodded. Sitting down at her desk, she opened everything else before getting back to the letter on top. Slicing the top with her letter opener, she pulled out piece of paper.

"What?" She asked out loud before rereading the letter.

"Who is it from?" Kat asked standing up to walk over to her desk.

"The World Gymnastic Committee and they want me to compete at Worlds." She said looking up at Kat.

"They want you to compete? Is that right?" She asked grabbing the letter from Kim. Leaning back in her chair, she waited for Kat to say something.

"Wait, they want you to compete with older gymnasts." She said as Kim nodded.

"Previous winners at either the Olympic or World games." She said smiling at Kat. "Its not really a competition more like an exhibition I would think. Anyway they are doing it for the opening ceremonies at Worlds this year. Apparently if I decide to do it then I will join Mary Lou Retton, Kim Zmeskal, and Carly Patterson. They will honor all the past gymnasts. Some of the others from the USA that will be there are the 96 Olympic Gold Medal team and the 2003 World Gold Medal team." She explained as Kat nodded.

"Well are you going to compete?" She asked simply.

"I'm not sure. I mean I don't work out every day or train, just coach the girls." She said getting up and walking over to the doorway to look down on the gym.

"Kimberly Hart, you train more than some of those girls down there." Kat stated as Kim smiled.

"Its different, I just show them how to do a move but I will think about it." She said walking back downstairs. Kat stood in the doorway watching Kim help Scarlett with one of her back handsprings in her floor routine. She did train even if she didn't think so.

XXXX

"They want you to compete? You are retired though." Tommy said putting his plate in the dishwasher. He had picked up food for them and Kaylie. His niece was now in her room studying for her Math test. She had been warned to watch her grades and make sure that she kept straight A's to stay on the National Team.

"Yes I am retired but this isn't a competition though. Its just to honor past gymnasts." She informed him.

"Okay then why can't they honor you by giving you a plaque or something?" He asked as she sighed. She knew that he wouldn't understand but he also didn't want her to get hurt and she knew that.

"I have Gold Medals that mean more than any plaque. I want to do this." She said leaning against the sink.

Closing the dishwasher, he looked over at her and knew that he really couldn't tell her not to do it. He wasn't her daddy or guardian only the man in love with her. Walking over to her he placed his hands on the counter behind her and trapped her in the circle of his arms. "Be careful." He said simply.

Kim smiled and nodded as she rose up on her toes to kiss his check. Tommy sighed and leaned his forehead on hers before kissing her softly and backing away. "Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything too dangerous just the routines that I won the All-Around Gold Medal at the Olympics." She said as he groaned again. He remembered those routines and knew that they were not easy.

"When are you going to train?" He asked suddenly.

"Before the girls come in, in the mornings. I don't have to worry about being scored so I don't have to train too hard." She said walking over to him and wrapping her arms around his waist. "Don't worry; I'm not fighting some evil being bent on trying to take over the World while I train. I'm only training." She said laying her head on his back.

"Well that's true unless Zedd and Rita turned back evil between now and Worlds, you should be fine." He said as she laughed. Stepping away, Kim grabbed her plate and put it in the dishwasher.

"Tell me something, Tommy." She said as he turned to face her.

"Anything." He answered.

"If we were engaged or married would you want me to compete?" She asked looking at him.

"Yes I would because this is something that you love and it's a part of you. I'm scared that you will get hurt but I know that you could get hurt walking out of your house so I'm not going to tell you that you can't do it." He said as she nodded.

XXXX

Kim thought about what Tommy had said the next day at the gym. Since it was National Team practice, she was out on the floor as the girls ran through their routines. The National Committee would be here tomorrow to make their choice on who got to go to Spain. Today was kind of a warm-up day for tomorrow but she did like having the girls before the committee came out to watch them. Looking over at Alex, she saw that she had her ankle wrapped. She was taking no chances on not being able to go to China.

"Should the National Committee be worried about Alex's ankle?" Cathy asked. She was one of the spokespeople of the National Committee. Kim didn't like her too much since she was more worried about the image of the National Team rather than the girls.

"No, she just came down on it wrong in Spain and she didn't want to hurt it before Spain." Kim stated as Cathy nodded before walking away. Sighing Kim turned to watch Kaylie land her new dismount. She had a slight bobble but nothing too noticeable.

"Quite worrying." Karen said.

"Oh I'm not just watching to girls to see if there is anything little things that they need to adjust." She said without looking at her assistant.

"They look great and it seems like they are improving." Karen stated.

"Yea they do, I just hope its enough to compete with the Chinese. They are first in the World at the moment since they beat the Russians." Kim said finally looking at Karen.

"They beat the Russians? Wow, how did they manage that?" She asked looking perplexed.

"Their start values are higher and they can flip a hundred times more than anyone else." Kim said.

"Well they are only fourteen so of course they flip a lot but remember that it takes more than a flip to score high. Kim, the girls are more than ready to take on the Chinese." Karen said before leaving Kim alone with her thoughts. It was true it did take more than a few flips to score. It took heart.

XXXX

"So we have made our decision and think that Alex should stay here." Cathy informed Kim in her office the next morning.

"The National Committee hasn't even made it here yet so they couldn't have made their decision." Kim said standing up from her chair.

"I called them last night and they all agreed that with Alex's injury that she should take time off and be ready for the World trials." She said as Kim took a deep breath. She was angry because this was nothing to do with Alex's ankle.

"Well I am the Head Coach and get the last say, Alex will go to China. She is the National Champion and really the only one that is secure in going to every competition." Kim stated, standing her ground.

"It is decided, Coach Hart." Cathy said walking out of the office.

"We will see about that." Kim said picking up her office phone.

XXXX

Tommy found his place in the parent's section of the gym. He had taken off so that he could watch Kaylie perform and see if she got to go to China. She had been working on a new dismount on the bars that had him worried. Sometimes Kaylie was too much like Kim. She pushed the limits until she conquered it and then pushed some more. Nothing was ever good enough because someone always had something better.

"Hi, I didn't think that you would be here." Kat said sitting next to him.

"Well I took the day off so that I could watch Kaylie." He commented.

"She is doing remarkably well as are all the girls. It will be tough to decide on who gets to go to China. All the girls have been working hard and stepping up their games to land a spot." She informed him.

"I can see that. Where is Kim? I thought that she would be out there watching over them." He said.

"The last time I saw her, she was in her office talking to someone from the National Committee. Since she was in there, I decided to sit down here and watch the practice." She said.

"I wonder what they were talking about before the practice." He said more to himself than anyone else. They both turned back to the girls and watched as the National Committee came through the doors and took their places against the back wall. They all had clipboards that they would make their notes on. Tommy shifted in his chair. He always seemed to get nervous for Kaylie even though she had been picked for the other competitions. It was just something that made him worry a little bit. He knew that she was good enough but wondered sometimes if they saw the same thing he saw.

XXXX

At the end of practice the National Committee met in Kim's office to tell her their selections. They were in for a big shock if they thought that Alex wasn't going.

"We have made our selections and the girls going to China are; Scarlett, Kelly, Whitney, Lauren, Allison, and Kaylie." Cathy said as the committee members nodded.

"Well I do believe that you forgot someone." Kim said as Cathy glared at her.

"No, that is the six that the United States is taking to China." She stated lowering her clipboard to her side.

"Now that's where you are wrong, Alex is the National Champion and as such she is the Team Captain and will be going to China. I have already spoken with Bela and he supports my decision as the National Team Coach." Kim informed them. "I know why you don't want Alex to go and it has nothing to do with her ankle."

"I'm not quite sure what you are implying." Cathy said.

"The Chinese team is the team to beat and you don't want to send the National Champion over there to be beat. I have confidence in my girls and in Alex and she will go. Now Allison has not had a good practice the past two days. Alex will go in her spot." Kim said as the committee members smiled. They knew that Kim knew this sport better than they did and after all Cathy was the one that had said that Alex's ankle was worse than it was. After watching her today, they couldn't see any reason not to have the National Champion represent her country.

"As always Kimberly, you have spoken correctly. Alex will go in Allison's spot." One of the committee members said. They all filed out leaving Cathy and Kim alone in her office.

"They will see that you are wrong. Alex should not be going only to lose to the Chinese team. It will be your fault when the Chinese take all the medals." She said before leaving Kim's office for the second time that day. Kim had to smile. It must be hard for Cathy since she had never made the National Team even though she had tried for years. She had been at the gym long before Kim had moved there. The woman had not liked Kim from their first meeting. Kim thought that Cathy was jealous of her because she had not trained in a gym before the age of 16 unlike Cathy. She had been in a gym from the age of 3 learning how to be an Olympic gymnast only she had never made it past the National Team tryouts. She always missed by one point or less. Kim couldn't help it but she didn't worry about the woman. It wasn't her fault that she had made the National Team time and time again.

XXXX

"I can't believe it, we're going to China." Kaylie said as she hugged Scarlett, Whitney, and Alex. It was awesome that all of Kim's girls got to go to this meet. It just showed that Kim was a great coach that her girls listened to her and did their best to improve their skills.

XXXX

"So have you decided to perform at Worlds?" Karen asked Kim after practice. Kat looked up from her desk because she wanted to know as well.

"Yes and I'm doing it." She said as Karen and Kat smiled.

"That's awesome; I can't wait to see you perform." Karen said walking out of the office.

"What does Tommy think about this?" Kat asked.

"He told me to do it since its something that I love but I did tell him that I would not do anything to difficult." She said as Kat nodded before getting back to work. She really couldn't believe that Tommy had said okay. She remembered how he looked when he rushed into the ER looking for Kim. There was a haunted look in his eyes like he was afraid of losing the most important person in his life. It was just a good thing that she had been at the gym when Kim had fallen.

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So what did everyone think? Please let me know. The next chapter should be out soon.


	28. Find Out

A/N: Okay I am so sorry that this is late but my cousin had a baseball tournment this weekend then my car was broken into so its been a little weird for me this week. Anyway I hope that everyone enjoys this chapter as much as I did writing it.

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Tommy heard a knock on the door while he was trying to grab a drink. Sighing he closed the fridge and went to find out who was here. Kim never knocked because she knew that he never locked the door. Opening it, he was a little shocked to see Trini on the other side.

"Your husband send you out here?" He asked opening the door before heading back to the kitchen. He wondered if Jason would call or stop by about telling Kim to compete.

"Why would Jason send me? You know him better than that and he would have come by himself." She said following him into the kitchen.

"Yea that's true." Tommy muttered opening the fridge door again. "So why are you here? I mean not that I'm not happy to see you, its just a little weird." He said pulling out the tea pitcher.

"Well Kimberly is begging me to find out if you are going to propose to her." She said as he paused in what he was doing. "Don't worry, I didn't tell her anything other than I would try to find out what your plans was." She said as he grabbed a glass.

"She is a mess sometimes." Tommy said smiling. "You want some?" He asked pointing to the pitcher.

"Uh no, because I know that you made it which means its sugar with a little bit of tea mixed in." She said as he nodded. "Anyway when are you going to ask her? She keeps hinting to me that I should take you ring shopping."

"I'll talk to Kim if it will help." He said putting the tea back up and walking over to her.

"No, that won't help. The only thing that will is actually asking her to marry you. Now when were you planning to ask her?" She asked.

"Well I wanted to give her time to focus on the girls and Worlds. She told me that one reason she really didn't want to get involve with me was because of the girls. When I asked her she will want to start planning the wedding and she can't do that if the girls need her to help them." He said sitting down next to her.

"I don't think that you give Kim enough credit." She said. "Besides she probably has the wedding all planned anyway." She stated with a laugh.

"I would image so since it is Kim we are talking about but back to your question. I will ask her soon." He said.

"You're not going to tell me are you?" She asked him.

Shaking his head no, he finished his tea. "Trini, if I tell you then you will want to tell Kim. I know that its killing you not to tell her that I have the ring." He said as she nodded. "I want it to be a total surprise when I ask her. All I ask is that you keep it a secret a little while longer." He said standing up and walking over to the sink.

"Fine but if she threatens to torture for the information then I will give it up." She commented as he laughed.  
"Fine on threat of bodily harm you can tell Kim that I have a ring and will ask her soon to marry me." He replied as she laughed.

"Where is Kaylie?" Trini suddenly asked looking around.

"David and Kelly picked her up and took her out for making the team going to China." He explained as she nodded.

"Well I better get home, its my night to cook and I don't like to leave the bear too long or he gets angry." She said as he laughed. Walking back over to her, he hugged her before she left. Jason had his hands full with that woman but Tommy couldn't find any fault with that. Kim would give him trouble too. Pulling the ring out of his pocket, he looked down at it. Kim would just have to wait. He had the perfect time if only she could be just a little more patient.

XXXX

"What did you find out?" Kim asked later that night. She had called Trini as soon as she had gotten out of the shower.

"_Not much, you know Tommy doesn't share much." Trini said. _

"Yea I know its just that I figured with being friends for years that he would open up more to everyone else." She said flopping down on her bed. Sometimes Tommy could be so tight-lipped that it made Kim's hair turn gray. "Did he give you any hints?" She asked trying to see if he let something slip.

"_No only that you shouldn't send your best friend to question your boyfriend." Trini told her with a laugh._

Kim groaned and knew that Tommy would say something like that. He knew that she didn't have all the patience in the world. "Man, if I didn't love him, I would kill him." She muttered as Trini laughed even harder. "Its not that funny, Trini. You know I seemed to remember you pushing Jason to propose because he was dragging his feet." Kim stated over the phone.

"_Yea well Jason was dragging his feet since he had the ring for two years before I asked him. Really if he hadn't had left it in his gym bag, I wouldn't have found it." Trini replied with a huff._

"Well I will let you go so that you can spend time with your husband." She said as Trini said bye. Kim hit end on the phone and smiled when she remembered the day Trini had found her engagement ring. Trini had wanted to run to Jason and tell him yes that instant but Kim convinced her to wait for him to ask her. Neither of them knew that Jason wouldn't ask for two years. One day it had been too much for Trini so she marched in where he worked and asked him why he hadn't asked her to marry him. Jason had looked at her like she had grown two heads before asking why she thought he should marry her. The battle had raged then and she had finally came out and told him she knew about the ring. Laughing he explained that he was saving up enough money so that they could get married. She claimed that he didn't have to do that only to love her. Smiling he picked her up and asked her then and there. She shouted yes and he walked her over to his bag and got the ring out. Kneeling in front of her, he asked her properly and slipped the ring on her finger. They were married a month later. Kim remembered it like it was yesterday. Maybe she should bust in on Tommy at work and ask him to marry her. Standing up, she knew that nothing was going to get solved tonight and she really needed to get to bed. She had to start training in the morning.

XXXX

Walking into the gym the next morning, Tommy smiled. Kim was up on the beam. Kaylie stopped next to him and just stared. She remembered watching Kim in competition and remembered that this woman was the main reason that she wanted to be a gymnast.

"Go get ready." Tommy said as Kaylie nodded and made her way to the locker rooms. Looking back at Kim, he watched as she did a back flip. Her moves were very fluid and it looked like she had never retired. He walked over to the beam and just watched as she bended, flipped, and turned on the beam. Listening to the music, he knew that this wasn't the same music from her Gold Medal All-Around. It was slower and sedate.

Kim took a breath and dismounted from the beam. Raising her arms, she smiled to the invisible crowd. Needless to say she was a bit startled when she saw Tommy leaning against the beam.

"How long have you been here?" She asked grabbing a towel from one of the nearby chairs.

"Not long since I just saw the last of your beam work but I do know that that wasn't your old routine that you said you were doing." He stated as she nodded.

"No it's not but I wanted something slow to get started. Actually they sent me new music for floor and I will have to rework that." She said sitting down on the blue mat to stretch out. She didn't need to get sore from training again.

"What song did they send you?" He asked sitting down next to her.

"Well now that's a surprise but aren't you going to be late for work?" She asked looking at the clock on the wall in front of her.

"No, I took the day off to help you with your training." He said with a smile.

"Help me? What do you know about training me for gymnastics?" She asked.

"A lot apparently since I watched every competition, your pretty little butt was in." He said jokingly. "Anyway I know that you need to work back up to really training and that's where I come in." He said taking her hand in his.

"Really? I'm not sure if that's a good idea since you once called it sissy stuff." She said jumping up.

"It is sissy stuff." He muttered getting up and following her up to her office. "You know I had forgotten how beautiful you look in a pink leo." He said walking up behind her.

"Oh Tommy." She said spinning around and throwing her arms around his neck. "I have missed you calling me beautiful." She said before bringing his head down so that she could kiss him.

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"How odd is it to see Kim train for gymnastics?" Greg asked Kat that afternoon. The girls had all gone home except for Kaylie since Tommy was helping Kim out on the bars.

"Actually not that odd since I watched her in high school before she left. I think the odd part is seeing Tommy helping her out. I mean he is so manly and macho that him anywhere near gymnastics is weird." Kat said with a laugh. Greg just shook his head. Sometimes Kat surprised him with her friendship with her ex-boyfriend but he didn't worry about her running back to him since she knew that Tommy was very much in love with Kim.

"Did he ever work with you on dancing?" He asked suddenly thinking that that was the reason that Kat had dated Tommy.

"Tommy help with dancing?" She asked looking at the man in question. "Uh no, I don't think that Tommy would have ever thought to help me with dancing." She said turning to face Greg. "The Tommy that you see now is because of Kim. He is different with her somehow. You don't have to ever worry about him." She said taking his hands in hers. "I finally see what everyone else saw back in high school with those two." She stated looking into his eyes.

"They were like this back in high school?" He asked not really believing her about the fact that Tommy and Kim had a mature relationship while they were still kids. It just didn't seem possible but looking at them now, he knew that they had something special.

"It's a long story but yes they were like this in high school." She said.

"I think I need to hear this story sometime soon." He said as she smiled. She knew that if their relationship was going to go further then she would have to tell him about her past as a ranger. It was a scary thought but he did deserve to know if they continued to date.

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Tommy smiled as Kim flipped off the beam. She looked tired and worn out but she was getting back into top form. It was almost like she hadn't ever left. He didn't know how she did it but she seemed to transform before his eyes. Walking over to her, he grabbed a towel and handed it to her.

"Thanks, I think I'm done for the day." She said wiping her face. "I think a long soak is in order when I get home."

"You know that I have a tub at my house." He said with a smile.

Shaking her head, she just had to smile. "Yea but I have a Jacuzzi that has ten pulsating jets and is big enough for two." She replied as he laughed.

"You know the Kimberly I know wouldn't have said that." He said stepping closer to her.

"Yea well the Tommy I knew wouldn't have started it. I remember that he was so shy that he almost couldn't ask me to the dance." She said stepping even closer. Tilting her head back, she looked into his deep brown eyes. She could always lose herself in them.

"I think I have moved past that." He said grabbing her head and kissing her soundly on the lips. Kim knew that he had moved past it that shy boy and she did sort of miss him but the man Tommy fired her blood. Pulling back, Kim had barely a moment before Tommy scooped her up into his arms.

"What are you doing?" She squealed as he adjusted her in his arms.

"Oh you said that you wanted a long soak and that's what you are getting." He said walking her through the doors and outside.

"No wait, I have to shut everything down and what about my car?" She asked.

"Don't worry Kat is still here and I can drive you into work in the morning." He said walking over to his Jeep.

"What about Kaylie?" She asked still trying to get him to see reason.

"David and Kelly wanted a night alone with her before they leave again. Now anymore questions before I take you home?" He asked looking down at her. Shaking her head no, he smiled and opened the passenger door and placed her in the seat. Kissing her check, he shut the door and walked around the front to get in himself.

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"Remember to explode on that part." Kim said as Whitney nodded. She had been working on a new combination since before Spain but couldn't quite get the last part right. She wasn't getting the right amount of height that she really needed for the extra twist.

Kim watched Whitney perform the combination again but this time, she got the height she needed and it showed. The added twist made the move higher on the points scale and would look great during competition. It wouldn't be ready until Worlds but at least she was getting better with it.

"Phone call, Kim." Kat said walking over to her.

"Thanks." She said making her way up to her office.

"You know I wonder if Tommy is going to propose soon. She is getting out of hand with her hints." Karen said as Kat laughed.

"The hints are getting bad but I think he has a ring and is only waiting for the right moment." Kat commented.

"The right moment? I think the right moment was a while ago." She replied as Kat nodded.

"True, but Kim has asked Trini to find out if Tommy has a ring since she is the one that can find that stuff out." Kat stated.

"What did she find out?" Karen asked looking back at Whitney. She wanted to make sure that everything still looked good on her dismount.

"Well that's the thing, she claimed that Tommy told her to tell Kim not to send in the best friend to ask questions like that but I think she knows more. I mean its Trini." Kat said as Karen nodded. She knew the woman very well. "I think that Trini knows he has a ring and when he is going to propose or at least a time frame."

"I hope its soon or I think I may quit." Karen said before walking over to Whitney to help her a little more. Kat just smiled because she knew that Karen would never quit the gym. She loved working with the girls and Kim way too much. Looking back at the office, she saw that Kim was still on the phone. It had to be someone from National Committee. They were getting ready for World trials that were approaching rapidly. At least the girls would have a little rest between China and trials but not after. They would have to travel to Russia, Italy, and Australia before Worlds. The World Team had to be ready for an international competition before Worlds.

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Tommy shook his head over the text that Jason had just sent him. He wanted to tell everyone that he would propose to Kim when he was good and ready but that wouldn't stop the calls, texts, or emails that he was getting daily now. It seemed that Karen and Greg were in on it now. They all needed to chill because he had a plan and no one would know because Kim had her ways of finding things out. She could wait a few more months at least because even Trini had waited two years for Jason to pop the question. Throwing his briefcase in the Jeep, he climbed in to make his way to the gym.

Passing Angel Grove High School, he had to smile. They had called and said that he could interview as soon as school was out. Miss Applebee was now the Principal and couldn't wait to see how he had changed or so she had said. Everything was falling into place including David getting everything ready to buy the house. He had talked to Billy about the Command Center in the basement and Billy said that it wouldn't be a problem to move it to his house since he already had some stuff in his basement at the moment.

He couldn't wait until Worlds for one to see Kim compete again and two to actually see the surprise on her face when he got down on one knee.

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Okay so what did everyone think? Please let me know. The next chapter will be delayed but hopefully only a little bit. The upcoming holiday weekend will make things a little crazy.


	29. Pushing Through

A/N: Okay I am so sorry for this taking longer to get up but I did make it a little longer than it was orginally. I hope that everyone likes this chapter.

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Kim wiped her forehead before walking over to the CD player. Hitting pause, she thought about how she would rework her floor routine. She loved the music that they had picked out and it would be perfect to open up Worlds. She had enough time to get a new routine down path. Turning around, she saw Kaylie working on her bar routine. She had started coming in earlier to nail a few moves on bars while Whitney was working on vault. The girls really wanted to beat the Chinese National Team. If they did that then they were almost guaranteed a spot on the Worlds Team.

"No Tommy today?" Karen asked walking in with her gym bag at her side.

"No, he had to grade some tests but I can practice without him watching." Kim said with a smile. "You know I have done it before." She said with a brighter smile.

Laughing Karen walked away to get changed for the day. Kim walked up to her office to get a little work done before the rest of the girls got in. She could watch Kaylie and Whitney from her office windows.

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Kaylie took off running and blasted through one of her passes on floor. Flipping through the air, she landed and tried to whip-back but ended up on her back instead. She had been at the gym for five hours now and she was getting a little tired.

"Smooth." Whitney said walking over to help her up.

"I just can't seem to get enough power to do the whip-back." Kaylie said standing up beside Whitney.

"Why are you wanting to do the whip-back on that pass? Why not the try it on the next?" She asked.

"I'm ending it with a double arabian so it won't work there." She said as Whitney nodded.

"Don't worry you will get it before Worlds." Whitney said with a smile.

"I want to nail it before China." She said falling in step beside Whitney to the edge of the mat.

"That doesn't get you too much time; you may want to rethink that." She replied. "I mean you cannot afford to be injured before Worlds."

"I know but this is China. They have the top two girls in the World on their team. I need to be doing harder stunts." She said lining up at the edge of the mat. Whitney stepped back and watched as Kaylie took off running again. This time just like last; Kaylie fell back trying to push into the whip-back.

Kim turned and watched Kaylie land on her back once more. The whip-back just wasn't working. Walking over to Kaylie, she could feel the pressure that Kaylie was putting on herself to nail the move. "Kaylie, that move is not going to work there." She said helping Kaylie to stand once more.

"It doesn't seem like I can get enough height to do it." She said as Kim nodded, that was exactly the problem. "I could lose some weight and that would get me light enough to do it." She said thinking out loud.

"No and you are not to lose any weight." Kim said as she calmed the inner demon inside of her. She did not want her girls to think that if they lost a little weight that it would make a difference. She had gotten herself in trouble like that. "I want everyone to gather around." Kim yelled as all the girls and assistants walked over to Kim and Kaylie. "Girls please sit." She said as the assistant coaches backed away to let Kim talk to the girls alone. Sighing Kim looked over the girls and knew that it was time to make sure that they understood her stance on diets and weight. "Okay ladies, first off no diets unless they are approved by me and I mean that. Your bodies are toned to almost perfection and any loss of nutrients would harm the muscle. No move is worth the risk." She said as everyone nodded. "I know that you think that if you lost that little bit of weight, the move will be easier but it won't stop there. You will want to lose a little more then a little bit more until you are too weak to even compete." She said.

"What if we only stopped at a little weight?" One of the girls asked.

"Trust me it won't end up being a little weight and most of you don't need to lose anything more." She replied.

"You don't know what its like to ever be less than perfect." Another girl said as Kim sighed. It was time to reveal a little of her past to the girls. Scarlett already knew but now the others deserved to know.

"Actually I do, since I have an eating disorder." She said sitting down in front of the girls.

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Tommy walked in and saw that Kim was sitting down on the mat in front of the girls. He wondered what they were talking about; whatever it was though was serious. He knew that look on Kim's face.

"Hey, I asked Kim where you were this morning." Karen said from beside him. He didn't even know that she could walk that quietly.

"I do work sometimes." He said as she laughed.

"I know but it is summer so I thought that you would be off." She said as Tommy laughed.

"Actually school ends in a week so I was preparing finals for my classes. Was Kim pushing herself too hard this morning?" He asked.

"Well she was done when I came in but I don't think that she is pushing any harder than she normally does." She commented as he sighed.

"Yea that's what's bothering me." He muttered as she smiled.

"Don't worry, Tommy. Kim is in great condition since she trains the girls and shows them the moves." Karen said as Tommy nodded.

"Yea I know that but I do still worry about her practicing on the beam every day." He said leaning back against the wall.

"Why? The beam is her best event." She pointed out.

Tommy crossed his arms over his chest before answering Karen. "She was in the hospital because of a fall from the beam so I have bad memories with the beam." He muttered as Karen nodded. She understood his worry over Kimberly but Kim was great on the beam. They watched Kim finish talking with the girls before she walked up to them.

"Well that looked serious, what's going on?" Karen asked.

"Oh nothing important but the girls have a new focus for China and World trials." Kim said as Karen nodded and walked away to help a few of the girls on the bars. The other assistant coaches took their places so that they could watch over the other girls.

Tommy watched as everyone got back to their routines before looking down at Kimberly. "So what was that talk about? I know you and that talk was important." He said as Kim nodded. Tommy knew her too well to know that the talk with the girls was just another talk.

"Well Kaylie is trying to add a move on her floor but can't get it just right and her solution was to lose weight." Kim said looking back at Kaylie working on her floor routine again.

"What? She can't lose any weight or she will be skin and bones." He said straightening up.

"Calm down, I explained to the girls about what happened to me." She said quietly as he stared at her.

"You told them that you have an eating disorder? Why would you expose your past like that?" He asked taking her hands in his. He knew that her past was difficult for her to talk about even with him.

"They deserved to know and I think that this will help them fight the urge to diet to lose any weight." She said with a sigh. The past twenty minutes with the girls had been hard but it had lifted a weight off her shoulders. She didn't have to hide her gymnastics past from the girls any longer.

"I'm proud of you." He said pulling her into his arms.

Laughing, Kim leaned up and kissed his cheek before pulling back. "Thanks now please go and wait in the parent's section like everyone else." She said before walking away.

Tommy just shook his head but making his way to the parent's section. It was a good thing that he loved that woman.

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"So tell me about the whip-back." Tommy said pulling out of the gym parking lot with Kaylie beside him. Kim was coming over to his house with take-out a little later so he didn't have to worry about stopping to get something.

"I can't land it." She stated looking out the passenger window.

"I got that but why are you trying it?" He asked glancing over at her.

"I need higher values to beat China." She said not really answering his real question. He didn't know how to ask her about why she thought she needed to lose weight to add that move.

Gripping the steering wheel, he just dove right in "Kaylie, why do you think that you need to lose weight to nail that move?" He asked.

"Did Kim tell you?" She asked looking back at him.

"Yea why?" He asked wondering why that mattered.

"Because that's a gym thing and not part of your relationship with my coach and why do you care anyway? She asked as Tommy pulled over into a bank parking lot.

"Okay what was that about? Of course I care about you and your gymnastics and Kim told me because I'm sure that she was worried about you. Dieting is not the answer to your problem." He said turning to face her.

"Yea well then what is the answer because I cannot get that move? I have tried everything but losing weight." She said as he saw the shine of tears in her eyes. He knew that this was hard for her because every move that she had tried up to this point, she had nailed with ease.

"Maybe this is just going to be something that you cannot do in that part of your routine." He said trying to reason with her.

"But I need to improve my values before China. They have the top two girls in the world right now." She cried as he released his seat belt so that he could wrap his arms around her.

"Its going to be alright. I have seen your floor routine and its good but if you don't beat them on floor, you will on beam." He said into her hair. Pulling back from her, he wiped her tears away and smiled at her. "I have faith that you will beat them." He stated as she smiled and nodded.

"Thanks, Uncle Tommy. You are the best." She said hugging him again. Releasing him, she leaned back in the seat while he refastened his seat belt and drove them home.

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_A few Weeks Later_

Kim stepped off of the plane and saw the sign welcoming them to China. She couldn't wait to see how her girls performed over the next few days. It would give them good practice before Worlds and they really needed all the practice they could get at the national level. Walking forward, the girls followed her through the airport and into their waiting bus.

Karen was at her side which made her miss Tommy. He had told her he was sorry but that he couldn't really get away at the moment. She wondered what he was doing since school was out for the summer but she didn't question him. It really wasn't her place to question him since he was a grown man.

They finally made it out of the airport and saw their bus waiting at the curb.

"Welcome to China." The Chinese National Coach said before shaking Kim's hand. He was an older man and she had faced his team when she had competed a few years ago. He was tough and his team showed it. They were young but then they were always young. He didn't like anyone older than 15 on his team which wasn't a problem until the Olympics since you had to be 15 or about to turn 15 before the Olympics.

"Thank you for having us." Kim said with a smile and a bow. She remembered all the ethic classes that Bela had taught her. It was always polite to show your respect for the host country.

"If you will follow me, we will get you and your team settled into the hotel for the night." He said motioning for her to climb into the bus.

"Thank you once again." She said before getting on the bus. The girls and Karen followed with the Chinese coach getting on last. The girls looked out the windows as Kim smiled. She remembered her first time here. It was right after she had visited Angel Grove with Jason. Who would have thought that she would have been captured during a simple trip home? China had seemed so tame after that adventure and looking out the windows now made her realized that everything was tame when compared with being a Power Ranger.

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"So you didn't go to China so that you could get me to help you move your basement to Billy's?" Jason asked taping up another box.

"Yea basically plus I really don't care to see China that much." Tommy said packing away the computer equipment that he had used while the Dinos had been active. It was a little bittersweet to pack up his Command Center but at least it would be set back up at Billy's. Hayley had volunteered to help him and Billy set everything up since she built some of it.

"You know that it would have been more about you glued to Kim's side than seeing the country." Jason mentioned as Tommy laughed.

"Quit complaining, your wife also wanted you out of the house today so that she could clean." He said.

"And how would you know that?" He asked grabbing another packed box to tape up.

"She called me." He said grabbing another box. They worked for the rest of the morning but they finally got everything packed up. Now all they had to do was transport it.

"You know we could try to teleport it to Billy's." Jason suggested.

"Won't work since Billy's house is not on the morphing grid and besides the fact that we can't teleport anymore." Tommy said.

"Crap, so we have to carry this upstairs?" He asked as Tommy shook his head. "Well how do you propose we get it to Billy's?" He asked.

"We still have to load it into your truck but we don't have to haul it upstairs since I have a bay door." Tommy said before hitting a button. They stood there while the garage-like door opened to reveal the woods at the back of Tommy's house. Jason smiled before running upstairs to move his truck around so that they could get to loading it.

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Kaylie took a breath before smiling to the judges. They were in their final day of competition and she wanted to power through this routine. She was the last one up and they needed at least a 9.6 to secure Gold. As the music started, she waited a beat before taking off running across the mat for her first pass.

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Kim watched as Kaylie hit her spots right on cue. She held her breath as Kaylie took off running for her second past. She had told Kaylie to go for it on the whip-back. Kaylie needed to leave it all on the mat and not regret anything even if she fell. Counting the flips, she watched as Kaylie exploded into the whip-back with a grace that had Kim smiling. The crowd erupted as Kaylie competed the rest of her routine. Kim was smiling ear to ear as the music ended with Kaylie in the center mat with her hands raised high.

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"Awesome!" Tommy yelled as Kaylie powered into her whip-back. She was on fire and if the judges scored her performance well, the US National Team would beat China, a feat that had not been done in years.

"Man she was great on that routine." Kat said as Karen nodded. Tommy had joined them at the gym to watch Kim and the girls.

"Tommy, you better buy that girl a really big ice cream when she gets back." Karen said as Kat nodded. They both knew that Kaylie loved ice cream more than anything. It was rare that she got to eat it since she was on a strict diet to maintain her body weight with all the practice.

"Don't worry; I will buy the entire ice cream section when she gets back." He said pacing the room. They were waiting for Kaylie's scores.

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Kim held Kaylie's hand while the judges posted her scores.

"A 9.8! Kaylie you won GOLD!" Whitney screamed as she grabbed Kaylie from behind. The other girls circled around Kaylie and Kim screaming.

"We won! We Won!" Alex screamed jumping up and down. The girls had worked hard over the past two days and it had paid off today.

"Okay girls go take your place." Kim said as the girls put their jackets on and walked over to the judges' podium. The girls watched as Kaylie took her place and the Gold Medal around her neck. They each cried with Kaylie as the American flag was lowered and the National Anthem was played.

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"Oh, Kim's crying too." Kat said. "She is totally living in the moment."

"They both deserve a big ice cream." Karen said wiping away a tear. They watched as Kaylie was once again engulfed by her teammates and coach. It was such a great sight.

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So what did everyone think? Please let me know. The next chapter should be out soon.


	30. Trini

A/N: Okay since I was late on the previous chapter, I am posting this one early. I hope that everyone likes this chapter.

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"I'm so proud of you!" Tommy said pulling Kaylie into his arms. The Gold Medal around her neck wasn't the reason and she knew that. He was just happy that she had left it all on the mat. She had given her all and got the medal.

"Thanks Uncle Tommy." She said pulling back.

"You were great." He said before moving to the side so that she could hug her parents. Tommy turned and saw Kim standing to the side. "And you Coach Hart, I saw the tears." He said as she laughed before jumping into his arms.

"I missed you." She said kissing him.

"Me too." He whispered setting her back on her feet.

"Well I know that you watched the last day but what did you think of the first two days?" She asked taking ahold of his hand.

"The girls were great but you could tell that they were nervous the first day. I think that they did a great job pulling it together." He said as she nodded.

"Yea we need to improve that before Worlds." She commented as he took her hand and led her to his Jeep. He had wanted to pick her and Kaylie up at the airport since the other parents were there as well. "What did you do for the past week?" Kim asked throwing her bag in back of Tommy's Jeep along with Kaylie's.

"Nothing much, just hanging out with Jason." He said jumping in and firing the Jeep up.

"Hanging out with Jason? Didn't he have to work?" Kim asked as Kaylie put her headphones in. She just wanted a moment with her thoughts and Uncle Tommy needed time to talk with Kim as well.

"Well yea he did but Trini claimed that he has been getting on her nerves so she told me to entertain him while you were away." Tommy said pulling out of the parking lot and heading to his house. Kim's car was at his house since he had taken her and Kaylie to the airport a week ago.

"Jason is always on Trini's nerves so why was this week any different?" Kim asked leaning back against the seat.

"Well I think that she's pregnant." Tommy commented as Kim sat back up.

"Has she told you that? If so then I will kill her." She stated hotly. "I wasn't here when Aisha told everyone she was pregnant." She commented as Tommy smiled.

"Calm down, she didn't tell me anything. It was just a thought." He said calmly as Kim relaxed.

"I think I will make a phone call though because now that I think about it, she has been acting a little off lately." Kim said as Tommy nodded. He thought that Trini had been acting weird but Kim knew Original Yellow better than he did. It was just something about Trini that made him think that she was pregnant. Turning onto the highway, he looked over at Kim and saw that she was almost asleep. He turned the radio on and sat back to drive. Kim needed her rest just like the girls. He knew that she was performing just as much as her girls were. She was just standing on the sidelines unlike them.

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Kim pulled her hair back into a high pony-tail before walking over to the beam. After a restful weekend at Tommy's she was ready to get back to work. The National Committee had asked her if she would rework her beam routine to include music. It was unheard of to actually do a beam to music but since she practiced with music every day, she knew that it wouldn't be a problem. She also loved the song that they had picked and the idea that they would do. Flipping onto the beam, she took it slow to stretch the kinks out and feel the beam. She didn't spend much time on the beam though because the girls came in early for practice. Jumping down, she made her way over to the girls to see what was going on.

"Hey girls, what's up?" Kim asked looking at them.

"We wanted to say thank you for telling us about your eating disorder." Alex said as the other girls nodded.

"Okay." Kim said slowly still not sure what was going on.

"You made us rethink what we thought about people with eating disorders being weak." Whitney said.

"Yea, you proved that we can do anything as long as we work at it." Kaylie said with a smile.

"I'm happy." Kim said as tears pricked her eyes.

"We just wanted to say thank you and that we love you." The girls chorused as they circled Kim to hug her. She did start crying then. These girls made all the pain of years ago to just disappear.

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Feeling lighter than she ever had, Kim made her way to Trini's house. She decided that she would question her best friend about how she had been acting lately. Pulling into her driveway, Kim smiled. Jason was still at work which was great since she didn't want him there while she questioned Trini. She got out of her car and walked up to knock on the door. Trini answered on the first knock.

"Kim, what are you doing here?" She asked opening the door wider to let Kim come on.

"Can't I come and visit my best friend?" She asked with a smile.

Smiling Trini answered. "Of course but there is a reason. I can see it in your eyes." She said.

"I want to know if you are pregnant." Kim said sitting down on the couch.

"What would make you ask that?" Trini said walking over to the ottoman to sit down.

"You asked Tommy to babysit your husband last week for one." She said easing back and tried to watch the emotions play across Trini's face.

Sighing Trini just shook her head. "They need some guy time too." She responded.

"That's true but all week?" She asked.

"Kim, I haven't even told Jason yet." She said as Kim jumped up and ran over to her.

"I'm knew it!" Kim screamed while Trini just smiled. "When did you find out?" She asked once she calmed and sat back down.

"On Monday but please don't tell Jason, I really want to surprise him." Trini begged as Kim smiled. "Kimberly that is not an agreement." Trini pointed out.

"Oh alright fine, I won't tell Jason." She said as the front door opened.

"Tell Jason what?" Jason asked walking into the living room. He crossed the room and kissed Trini's head before turning to Kim. "Tell Jason what?" He asked again.

"That I am reworking my beam routine to include music; Trini didn't want me to worry you about unnecessary risks." Kim said without blinking. Trini just shook her head; Kimberly could really lie when she wanted too.

"What does Tommy think about this? You know that you are supposed to be retired." He said as Kim sighed. Ever since they were little, Jason had thought that he was Kim's older brother even though he was only a few months older than she was.

"Jason, I am retired and I haven't told Tommy yet but that doesn't matter. I'm not going to do anything too difficult so don't worry." She stated.

"Yea right like I haven't heard that before." He muttered as Trini laughed. She just loved to watch Jason and Kim interact with each other.

"Jason, Kim is only performing one time at Worlds so don't worry. I'm sure that she will be well prepared even with music added to her beam routine." Trini said standing up next to him.

"Uh huh, whatever, you better be careful Pinky or I'm not flying to the hospital to see your injured butt." He said walking away from them and into the kitchen.

"He doesn't mean that." Trini said as Kim nodded.

"Oh I know that because if I ever did get hurt, he would try to beat Tommy in being the first one at my side." Kim said before standing up as well. "Anyway, I got to go and see if I can get a party planned for this weekend." She said.

"What party?" Trini asked thinking that maybe Tommy had already asked Kim to marry him.

"Oh I want to throw a party for the girls for their work against China and to celebrate their time on the National Team." She stated walking towards the front door.

"Okay." Trini said looking a little disappointed. "Well tell them that I said congrats and good luck at World trials." She said as Kim nodded before leaving. Trini walked over to the window and watched her best friend get in her car and pulled out of the driveway. She didn't know what to think about Kim knowing she was pregnant since she hadn't told Jason yet. She really wanted to see the doctor first to confirm it before telling anyone.

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_Two Weeks Later_

"Wow I can't believe how much this place has changed overnight." Tommy said walking into Kim's office that afternoon. He hadn't really had a chance to see her since she was getting ready for World Team Trials which would be tomorrow.

"Yea I know but the boys' team helped get everything set up." She said without looking up. She was trying to get an email to the National Committee about the progress of the gym. She nervous about tomorrow for the girls but knew that they had practice all year for this moment. She had believe that they would make the team because they had all the skills it took to be on the World Team.

"Kimberly." Tommy said as she looked up at him.

"Uh what?" She asked wondering why he had raised his voice to her. She had been so lost in thought that she had forgotten that Tommy had been speaking.

"I asked if you wanted to grab a bite to eat with me. You have been at the gym all day setting up." He said with a smile.

"Oh, Tommy I'm sorry." Kim started as Trini walked into with takeout boxes. "Trini called on her way over." She said as Trini set out Kim's food.

"No porblem, I just wanted to make sure that you had something to eat. How's the bun in the oven?" Tommy asked as Trini glared at Kim.

"Hey, don't look at me like that. It was Tommy's idea that had me thinking. Anyway tell him about the fact that you haven't told your husband yet." Kim said grabbing some food. She was really hungry and was happy that Trini had brought her some food.

"You haven't told Jason? What's wrong?" He asked. He knew that something had to be wrong if Trini hadn't told Jason that they were expecting.

"Nothing's wrong but I can't quite find the right words to tell him." She said sitting down across from Kim to eat herself.

"How about, Jason I'm pregnant." Tommy said with a smile with his arms across his chest. He did find it funny how Trini couldn't tell Jason after two weeks.

"No, that's not going to work." Trini said with a mouth full of food.

"I don't see why not." He said. Why did girls have to make everything hard. It really was simple, all she had to do was tell Jason that he was going to be a father.

"As much as I love to torture Trini, I need to finish this email before tomorrow." Kim said turning back to her computer. Tommy took the seat next to Trini to wait until Kim was finished. She had been way too hard but at least World Team trials were tomorrow so that she could get some rest.

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"Okay ladies, deep breath and just have fun." Kim said as Whitney, Alex, Kaylie, and Scarlett nodded. They were qualified to try out for the World team. Kim would be on the sidelines along with the other coaches. The parents were behind glass in the parents' section. Kim glanced back and saw Tommy, Kat, and Karen sitting in the front row.

"Your girls are looking great, Kimberly." Bela said from behind her.

"Well they practice hard." She said with a smile.

"You know that the committee wants you to be the World Team Coach, right?" He asked as she nodded.

"I assumed that you had something to do with that." She commented.

Shaking his head, he said. "No, they loved that your girls won against China. You have proven that the United States can be a dominate team on an international scale."

"It's the girls. They make it their goal to be better at each competition." She said as he nodded.

"I remember another gymnast who was like that." He whispered before walking away to leave her with her thoughts.

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Kaylie was smiling from ear to ear when she landed her dismount from the bars. She had given her all and that's all she could do. Walking back over to Kimberly, she watched as Alex landed her dismount from the beam. She looked on fire as well. Everyone wanted one of the six spots on the World Team. It would put them in a better position once the Olympics came back around and she wanted to be on the 2008 Olympic Team. It was still three years away but every competition bought her that much closer to her dream.

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"Jason, I have something to tell you." Trini said standing beside Jason's truck in his shop. She had been in the kitchen for the past thirty minutes trying to figure out how she was going to tell him.

"What?" He asked from underneath the truck.

"Can you please come out from there? I really need to tell you this face-to-face." She said as she heard his sigh. Rolling from under the truck, he grabbed a grease rag and wiped his hands before standing up to face his wife.

"Trini, I know that the past few weeks have been hard on you but I have been trying to stay out of your way." He started as she sighed.

"Oh I know but that's not what I want to talk about." She stated.

"Well we are for sure not getting a divorce so get that thought out of your pretty little head." He said as she smiled. "Why are you smiling?" He asked angrily.

"Oh nothing and no we are not getting a divorce. I have some news for you." She started as he walked over to her.

"I love you." He said thinking that whatever was bothering her would go away with those three little words.

"I love you too and well…" She started. "Uh well…"

"Okay now you are scaring me." He said backing up a space. In all the time he and Trini had been together, he had never seen her this scared and it made him scared.

"We're pregnant!" Trini said suddenly as Jason stood there.

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So what did everyone think? Please let me know and as for Tommy poppoing the question, a cookie to everyone that guess Worlds. I finally have a good grasp on how he will get down on one knee. Anyway don't forget to let me know what you thought about this chapter.


	31. World Team and more news

A/N: I decided to go ahead and upload this chapter early since it was done. I hope that everyone likes this chapter.

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"Jason are you okay?" Trini asked kneeling over him. When she had told him that they were pregnant, she never expected him to pass out on her. He and Kim really had more in common than she thought. "Jason." She said again as he opened his eyes.

"What happened?" He asked rubbing his head and sitting down.

"You passed out." She said leaning back.

"I fainted? What?" He asked looking around to see if Trini had hit him with something when he wasn't looking.

"Well I would say passed out but yea you fainted. Do you remember why?" She asked him.

"Something about we're pregnant." He said still looking around for a weapon of some kind.

"Yea, but are you happy about this?" She asked concerned now. They had discussed kids but she wasn't sure if he wanted them right now.

"I am but I'm not sure why I fainted over the news." He said standing up. Once he gained his feet, he helped Trini to stand.

"I think my behavior the past few weeks done that and for that I am sorry. I just wasn't sure how to tell you." She said squeezing his hands.

Jason found his first smile when he realized that in nine months he would be a daddy. "I'm going to be a father." He said as Trini laughed and cried at the same time. Throwing her arms around his neck, she kissed him. "I am thrilled about the baby." He whispered into her hair. "But don't tell Rocky that I fainted." He said as she pulled away from him.

"I won't but I can't promise that Kimberly won't." She said as he sighed. He knew that she would tell Kim and he knew that he would get all kinds of teasing from her but he did deserve it. He always picked on her about fainting all the time. Wrapping his arms around his wife, he just breathed in the news that they were pregnant. He couldn't wait to tell everyone.

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"Why do they make us wait?" Kaylie asked pacing around Kim's office. Kim smiled at her because she knew how it felt to have to wait on who would be on the World Team.

"Don't worry they want to make sure only the best go." Alex said from the couch. Kim had bought her girls to her office so that they could wait in comfort. The other gyms were spread out around the gym as they awaited the news.

"I hope so." Kaylie replied before finally sitting down beside Alex on the couch. Scarlett and Whitney were sitting the chairs across from Kim's desk while Kim leaned against the door frame. This was the hardest part of the day and she knew that but there was nothing really that she could say to ease the wait. Looking back at the judges, she knew that they did have a tough decision. All of the girls had nailed their stunts and dismounts. No matter who made the team, the US World Team would be great.

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Rushing through the back door, Trini had to stop to catch her breath. "Where's the fire?" Greg asked from behind her.

"Oh, I wanted to be here when they announced the World Team members. What are you doing in here?" She asked with her hand on the door leading into the girls' side of the gym.

"Well there was a bunch of boys here so I thought I might teach them the art of tattoos and smoking." Greg said as Trini laughed. Apparently Greg had a sense of humor which would get him far in their group. She couldn't wait to tell Rocky.

"Very funny but I didn't mean why are you at work but more like why aren't you watching the trials." She said as he nodded in understanding.

"I did watch a little but some of the boys needed some extra help so I had to get back to my real job. Anyway they are about to decide so you better get in there." He said pushing the door open as she smiled. Trini walked through the door and found a seat next to Tommy.

"Glad you could make it." He whispered as she nodded. She could feel his tension and knew that this was a big day for him even if Kaylie didn't make the team. His niece had come so far in such a short period of time that would only make next year just a little easier. She grabbed his hand and saw that Kat did the same thing. They knew that he would rather have Kim at his side but she was with her girls standing in front of them on the gym floor.

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"We would like to thank everyone for showing up and to the girls for putting on quite a show. This was a very hard decision but we are confident in the girls that we have chosen to represent the United States at this year's World Championships." The committee chair said as the gym stood in silence. "But before we get to the girls, we are pleased to announce that Kimberly Hart will once again lead the World Team as their coach." He said. Kimberly smiled and walked over to the committee members as Karen walked up to the microphone. They had asked her earlier to announce the names since she worked at the gym.

"On behalf of the National Committee and Coach Hart, I will announce the members of the US World Team. Alex, Lauren, Allison, Whitney, Sara, and going as Team Captain is Kaylie." She said as cheers went up.

Kim was beaming because three of her girls were on the World Team. It was a first for her since only one of her girls made it last year. Stepping up to the mic, she spoke. "I would like to thank the National Committee, parents, friends, and of course all the girls who tried out. Thank you." She said stepping away to hug her girls. She was so proud of them.

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"I can't believe it! I made the Worlds Team." Kaylie screamed as she jumped into Tommy's arms.

"Congrats Kaylie!" He said as he placed her back on her feet. Whitney and Alex were with their parents as well as the other World Team members. Kim had informed them that they had two weeks until their first competition so their first practice would be in a week. It would give them time to accept the fact that they had made the World Team and that their first competition was in Russia in two weeks. Kim spoke to several reporters from the local news stations and ESPN. Once she was finished she made her way over to Tommy, Kaylie, Trini, Karen, and Kat. She noticed that Greg wasn't with them so he had to be still working with his boys. They would be competing for World Team in two weeks which Kim found odd because they would be attending the same World Championships as the girls.

"You must be over the moon." Kat said as Kim stood next to her.

"Why? Because I am World Team coach?" Kim asked sort of puzzled. It was an honor but the bigger honor was Alex, Whitney, and Kaylie making the team.

"No, silly for having three of your girls on the World Team, that's more than any other gym has ever had." Kat said with a smile.

"Well they made it possible; I just provide a gym for them to work out in." She said pulling Kaylie into a hug. She had gotten to hug Alex and Whitney earlier before getting pulled into interviews.

"You do so much more than provide the gym." Kaylie whispered before pulling back.

"Thanks, Kaylie. Now I am hungry so I suggest we find something to eat and celebrate a little." She said as everyone nodded.

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"So how did Jason take the news? Or have you not told him yet?" Kim asked the next day after practice.

"I told him and he fainted." Trini said with a smile.

"What? Mr. Strongman fainted? Oh I am so going to tease him about that." Kim said slipping on her shoes. She was beat and ready to head home.

"I told him that anyway do you want to come over for a grill out? We are going to tell everyone tonight." She said as Kim grabbed her bag and headed towards Trini standing just inside the door.

"Sounds great but I need to head home first to get a shower and change." Kim said as Trini opened the door for her.

"We'll see you at seven then." She said watching Kim locked for the day.

"Seven is great and I want to hear more about Jason fainting." Kim said as Trini laughed.

"Okay it's a deal." She laughed before walking away. Kim had to smile on her way to her car. Jason had fainted over the news that he was going to be a father. It was just too funny.

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"So you fainted? Man I didn't even do that." Rocky said as Jason smiled. He knew that Kim would want to bring that up but he took it all in stride. These were his friends after all and they were allowed to tease him to a degree.

"Oh no you didn't faint but I did think that you would throw up." Aisha said sitting down next to her husband on the couch. Everyone had gathered at Jason and Trini's since there was promise of food and talk. No one but Kim knew that they would announce that they were also expecting. Tommy had thought that they would but didn't know for sure.

"You know I was sick the moment that you told me." Rocky said as Aisha nodded and rubbed his shoulder. Everyone discuss how great it was that not one but two former rangers were having babies. Rocky had wondered out-loud if they would have powers since their DNA had changed a little after having their powers. Billy had been the one to set Rocky straight on that score but really it was a valid question.

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"Bulk, what are you doing here?" Kat asked as the former Angel Grove High bully walked into the gym in his officer uniform.

"Looking for Kimberly, do know where I can find her Katherine?" He asked walking over to her.

"Kim's up in her office on the phone but she should be almost done with the phone call. World Team practice will be starting soon." She said as he nodded and headed upstairs to Kim's office. He paused in the doorway and knocked on the opened door.

"Bulk? Come in, where's Skull?" She asked motioning for him to come in.

"Oh he's back at the station but I have some bad news to tell you." He said as she waited. "You see that guy, Sam well he was released today on bail." He said as she stood up slowly.

"Are you sure?" She asked as he nodded. "Thanks for letting me know."

"No problem and don't worry the judge issued a restraining order against him. He cannot come within 500 feet of your house, the gym, or you. If you see him, call the station." He said as she nodded.

"Thanks for stopping by, Bulk and tell Skull I said hi." She said trying to compose herself. This news was not the best but she knew that he had to get out sometime; she just wished that it would have been a lot later.

"Kimberly, everything will work out." He said before walking away. Taking a breath, she closed her eyes before focusing on the upcoming practice.

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"I just want you to try a standing arabian." Kim stated a few hours later. It was the first World Team practice and everyone was a little nervious.

"I don't feel comfortable doing that." Allison said as Kim nodded. She knew that the girl was a little scared of that move but it would take her routine to the next level.

"Its okay, you have the ability just try it once." She stated as Allison nodded. Kim watched as the young girl faced forwarded and tried to attempt the standing arabian. She had gotten the height and turn right but it was the landing that had her falling off the beam. "Allison!" Kim yelled running over to the young girl. She knew not to touch her in case she hit her head. The girls gathered round and waited for Allison to move. Kneeling down, Kim looked her over before turning back to Kat standing to her right. "Call 911." She said as the girls started crying. Kim didn't think it was bad but she wasn't a doctor.

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Pacing the waiting room, Kim didn't know what to think. This was the second time this year that she had put a girl in the hospital.

"Kimberly." Tommy said rushing into the waiting room.

"Tommy, what are you doing here?" She asked facing him.

"Kaylie told me what happened and I thought that you would want someone with you while you waited." He stated as the doctor walked over to them.

"Coach Hart, Allison is going to be fine. She just twisted her ankle and hit her head. Its nothing to be worried about though because I think she hit it on the mat. She's got a little bump but she can get back to practice in a few days." He said with a smile. Kim thanked him and watched as he walked away. Allison's parents were already back there with their daughter so Kim didn't have to past that news on to them.

"Well that's good news." Tommy said drawing Kim's attention back to him.

"Yea no thanks to me." She muttered causing Tommy to really look at her.

"What do you mean?" He asked turning to face her fully.

"I mean that this is the second girl that has been in the hospital because of me. I don't know if I can do this anymore." She said.

"What? This was not your fault." He stated grabbing her hands.

"Yes it was. She didn't want to do the move and I convinced her too." She said pulling her hands away. Her thoughts were going a mile a minute.

"What are you saying?" He asked.

"I'm saying that maybe I shouldn't be a gymnastics coach anymore. It wasn't just Allison's fall but Kaylie's was my fault too not to mention, my own fall off the beam." She said backing up just a little more from him.

"Kaylie's fall was because of Sam not you." He replied.

"Yea because of me, I chose you over him or at least that's what he thought. Tommy I wasn't even strong enough to battle my eating disorder on my own. My coach had to put me in a clinic for it." She whispered as his heart broke. Watching Allison fall off the beam, had awakened a demon inside of Kimberly that sacred even him. He didn't know how to reach out to her.

"Kimberly what are you saying?" He asked slowly.

"I think I need some time away, alone to think." She said as he nodded. He could feel her desperation and knew that he couldn't help her at the moment. She had to look inside herself and see that she was a great coach and that those girls' falls were not her fault. He watched her back away from him before turning to walk out the doors. Tommy sighed and made his way out of the hospital. Everyone was getting together tonight at Rocky and Aisha's house because Zack and Angela were in town for the week. He would explain why Kim wasn't there and try to give her the space that she thought she needed. He just hoped that she got the answers she needed.

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"Why didn't you follow her?" Jason asked leaning against the door frame. He had questioned Tommy as soon as he arrived sans Kimberly.

"She said that she wanted to be alone." Tommy sighed. He didn't want to leave her alone but right now Kimberly was not in the frame of mind to talk to him.

"Well you know where she went." Aisha said as Trini, Jason, Adam, Tanya, Zack, Angela, and Kat nodded.

"Yes but I am giving her the time she thinks she needs. Guys she has to deal with this on her own before we can try to help her." He said leaning back in the chair.

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"I thought that you might find me." Kim said without turning around.

"Well I do know where to look; you can here after Kaylie fell off the beam in Paris." The man said walking up behind her.

"You didn't talk to me then though, why now Rocky?" She asked turning to face him.

Rocky smiled as he sat down on a nearby rock. "You look like you lost the meaning of your life." He said simply as she sat down next to him.

"Sam was released on bail today." She said without going into any details.

"Did you tell Tommy?" He asked quietly.

"No, I haven't told anyone other than you." She replied.

"How did you find out?" He asked.

"Bulk came by the gym today to inform me and I thanked him. I didn't react to the news other than to thank him. It was like it was any other day at the gym." She said looking away.

"My offer still stands to get rid of him." He said causing her to smile.

"No, I don't want him dead only out of my life. How can I ever be sure that the girls will be safe with him free?" She asked looking back at him.

"You can't but you can't focus your life on him because that means he's won. Kimberly you are stronger than that. I remember a girl who moved to Florida to chase her dreams. She wasn't scared of interdimensional beings capturing her to be used against her friends. No, she flew higher and made her dreams a reality." He said taking a hold of her hand.

"Why is it you are only like this with me? I mean I know that Aisha has seen this side of you but you normally keep it hidden." Kim stated as Rocky smiled.

"I remember the first time you came out here; you were crying so hard that I had to help you climb up here." He said looking over the rubble.

"We had just learned that Andros had taken Zordon's life and I needed to get away from everyone. This was the only place that I knew I would feel safe." She said looking back where the Command Center used to be. "This was the place that always felt like home." She whispered as he nodded. All of the rangers felt like that about where the Command Center used to sit.

"You need to talk to Tommy; I think he feels like you are pushing him away." He muttered as she looked back at him.

Sighing Kim crossed her legs to sit Indian style. "I know and I do feel better but I am still worried about Sam." She said simply.

"I would think that he would be sacred of Tommy, I mean if he even knew about Evil Green Ranger, the man would stay far away from you." Rocky said as they both laughed. Looking back at the sun setting, Kim stood up and wiped her shorts. It was time to get back. "Come on, we better get to your house or your wife will start a search party." Kim said as Rocky stood up. They walked down the hill back to their cars and headed back to Angel Grove.

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"How are you feeling?" Tommy asked walking behind Kim into her house.

"Better and I'm sorry for pushing you away. Everything just hit me all at once and I didn't know what to do." She said throwing her purse on the coffee table.

Tommy walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. "Don't worry, I'm here." He whispered as she smiled.

Turning in his arms, she kissed him before they made their way to Kim's bedroom down the hall. David and Kelly were spending the night with Kaylie to celebrate her making the World Team. They had been out of town since before she left for China. He had wondered when they would be back but he was happy that it was tonight.

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Okay so what did everyone think? Please let me know. The next chapter should be out soon.


	32. Greg

A/N: I hope that everyone likes this chapter! Also I would like to say thanks to everyone that reads these chapters.

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Kim watched as Kaylie, Whitney, and Alex finished up their interviews. They were naturals and it made Kim proud.

"At least they are not worried about the camera." Karen said beside her.

"Very true, that will help them at Worlds." Kim said. "Under all those cameras and flashing lights." She said as Greg came through the door. "Hey Greg." She said.

"Do you know where Kat is?" He asked walking up to her.

"Yea, she's in the office getting everything ready for the next competition next week. Why?" She asked looking at him.

"The front driver side tire on her car is flat." He said as Kim nodded. She watched him walk into her office and just smiled. Kat and Greg made a great couple and she couldn't wait to see what happened next with those two.

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"I'm glad that you saw that because I would have driven home on the flat." Kat said watching Greg loosen the lug nuts. He had offered to change her tire for her.

"I think that you would have noticed that something was wrong." He said with a smile as he jacked her car up.

"Probably but Kim would have changed it if you didn't want too." She stated as he looked back at her in shock.

"Kim as in Kimberly Hart?" He asked trying to figure out if she was teasing him.

"Yes, she can change a tire. Jason and Tommy showed her how to do it." She replied with a little sass. It always made her smile when anyone thought that Kim didn't do anything but shop and gymnastics.

"What about you?" He asked taking the tire off.

Smiling, she finally answered him. "I wasn't in town yet but they also tried to teach Trini and Aisha." She stated.

"Did they learn?" He asked.

"Well not according to the story. Trini jumped Jason because she claimed that she was smart enough to know how to change the tire when or if the time came. Aisha flat out told them that she would not change a tire because she had AAA." She said as he laughed.

"What did Tommy and Jason say to that?" He asked finishing up.

"I'm not sure. Rocky normally tells the story and he always cracks up there. I think that they were just happy that Kim learned." She said as he lowered her car and put everything away. "Thanks again."

"No problem, you probably just ran over a nail…" He said before pausing. "Uh, Kat where do you drive?" He asked looking down at her tire.

"The same roads that Kim does." She said walking over to him to see what he was looking at. "Is that?" She asked as he nodded.

"Your tire has been slashed. I think we should tell Kim." He said as she nodded.

"Hey what's going? You run over a nail, Kat?" Tommy asked walking over to them. He has just pulled up and saw that Greg and Kat were out by her car.

"No, not really." Kat said as Tommy looked down at the tire.

"Crap!" He said before taking off to find Kimberly.

"Well I think that he knows who did this." Greg said as she nodded slowly. "I don't want you staying alone if he's acting like that." He said as she sighed.

"Greg, I am a big girl." She said.

"I know but something has Tommy up in arms, so that means something." He said leading her inside.

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Kim had just turned around when Tommy grabbed her arm and led her up to the office. "What's this all about?" She asked when he finally let her go.

"Kat's tire was slashed; you want to tell me what's going on?" He asked looking at her. Sighing Kim rubbed her forehead, she should have really told him last night about Sam being released but they were a little busy with other things. "Sam was released on bail yesterday." She said leaning a hip against her desk.

"Yesterday? Why didn't you tell me? This explains your attitude." He said.

"We were a little busy and to an extent, it explains why I was acting a little weird. Tommy, I was going to tell you last night." She said as Greg and Kat walked into the office.

"So what's going on?" Greg asked folding his arms across his chest.

"Sam was released on bail yesterday." Kim said as Kat walked over to her.

"Are you alright?" She asked as Kim nodded.

"I think that he is more focused on you rather than Kim at the moment." Tommy said flipping open his phone.

"Who are you calling?" Kim asked.

"Who do you think?" He asked putting the phone up to his ear. "The guys need to know." He said as she grabbed the phone away from him.

"I don't think so. I am a grown woman and I don't need the wagons circled around me like I am a weak." She shouted at him.

"Kimberly, they can be on the lookout." He said trying to reason with her.

"No, I don't want them to be my lookout. I can look at myself if the need arises." She replied.

"The guy is insane." He said getting a little angry with her. Why didn't she want him to do everything to protect her?

"In case, you have forgotten, I am use to insane. Do you think that Zordon thought I was too weak to fight all those monsters? News flash, I was on the team long before you joined, Mr. Rainbow." She said before storming out. Tommy sighed and knew that he had stepped a little too far with her. She had always gotten mad when someone thought that she was too weak to do anything. He knew that she had faced several monsters by herself and saved him a few times. The only thing that everyone remembered was that he saved her. Walking out of the office, he went in search of Kim.

"Okay so what did Kim mean, when she said that she fought monsters?" Greg asked bringing Kat's attention to the fact that Kim had just revealed their secret.

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"Kimberly, I'm sorry. You are not weak and I didn't mean it like that." Tommy said once he found her out in the parking lot looking at Kat's tire that Greg had taken off.

"Oh I know its just that everyone sees me as this weak person that I always need help. I don't and I know that I am stronger than that." She said turning to face him.

"I know you are." He said pulling her into his arms. "I just want to protect you like I did in high school if you will let me."

Laughing, Kim pulled back to look up at him. "If it will mean that much to you, you can protect me from the big bad wolf." She said as he laughed out loud. Leaning in, he kissed her lips before backing up.

"Let's get you back into practice, I'm sure that your girls are wondering where you went." He said as she nodded. They walked hand-in-hand back into the gym.

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"So Kim was the Pink Ranger?" Greg asked not sure that he really believed Kat. She didn't have cause to actually lie to him but sometimes people tried to cover up other problems with lies.

"The first actually and she was great." Kat said sitting down next to him on the couch. They were still in Kim and Kat's office. "I was going to tell you but its not something that you can bring up in regular conversation." She said taking his hand into hers.

"You were going to tell me about Kim being a ranger why? Its her secret." He said as she sighed. It was time to tell him the rest.

"Well its actually all of our secret, I was the second Pink Ranger. Kim chose me before she left for Florida." She said as he nodded.

"Well that answers the question of how she did gymnastics and fight monsters. So were all the others rangers?" He asked.

"Everyone but Angela, Zack told her before they married. Jason, Trini, Billy, Zack, and Kim were the first five. When Zack, Jason, and Trini were chosen for the Peace Conference Zordon chose Adam, Rocky, and Aisha to take their place then Kim chose me." She said.

"What about Tommy? When did he come into the picture?" He asked still processing the fact that the woman he loved was once the Pink Power Ranger.

"Oh, he came in, in a blaze of green. He was chosen as the Evil Green Ranger." She commented as Greg looked at her.

"What?" He asked looking worried again.

"Oh, Jason and the others broke the spell. Are you okay with this?" She asked.

Smiling he squeezed her hands. "I am okay with it because it is a part of you." He said. "I love you." He declared. She had shared something of her past with him and he needed to share his heart with her.

Kat smiled at his words. "I love you too." She said.

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Kim waved to the girls as they left for the day when she remembered that Greg had been in the room when she yelled at Tommy. "Crap." She whispered looking up at her office. How could she have been that careless?

"Don't worry, I'm not telling your secret." He said from behind her.

"Oh crap! You scared me." She said with her hand on her chest. "Please don't ever sneak up on me like that."

"Sorry about that but Katherine did explain everything." He said as she nodded.

"Well since she shared her secret what are you going to do?" She asked.

"Nothing, I gave her my word that I wouldn't say anything. Its not my business what your past is or was." He said as they walked up to her office. "I think my one question is who is Zordon?" He asked sitting down on the couch.

"Zordon was our mentor and he meant something different to everyone. He chose us to defend the Earth and seal our destinies." She said.

"More like help us in our future." Tommy said from the doorway. He had taken Kaylie to meet her parents before driving back to follow Kim home. He didn't want Sam to try anything on her way home.

"Well I better get going, its been a long day." Greg said getting up and walking out of the office leaving them alone.

"So I guess you realized that Greg was in the room when you were ranting." He stated as she nodded.

"Yea and I am just glad that he is dating Kat or I don't know what would have happened." She sighed.

"Don't worry about it. We are no longer rangers, so its not going to affect us too much." He commented.

"At the moment we are not rangers but who knows with you." She said smiling. "Come on; follow me home so that you can make sure that I am safe." She said walking over to him and grabbing his hand. They walked out of the office and to their cars. It had been a long day and it was finally over.

XXXX

Okay so what did everyone think? Please let me know. The next chapter should be out soon.


	33. Problem Solved

A/N: I hope that everyone likes this chapter.

XXXX

Kim was greeted at the airport by the entire gang. There was only one reason that they would all be here. Tommy had told them that Sam was out of jail and they had come to circle the wagons. Sighing she hitched her bag over her shoulder and follow the girls out of the airport to their parent's waiting cars. They had done well in Russia and had even scored higher on the beam than the Russian girls that was great in itself. Since it wasn't actually a competition, no medals were given and no winner declared. It was just pretty much practice for the girls for Worlds. Saying good bye to the girls, she finally made her way over to her friends who had circled Tommy's Jeep. Thankfully Kaylie would not have to stick around for this fight. David and Kelly had picked her up to take her to Tommy's house.

"Okay so who's pregnant this time?" She asked handing her bag to Tommy before looking at her friends.

"No one and this isn't a joking matter, you didn't tell us that Sam was out of jail and that he slashed one of Kat's tires." Jason said stepping up to her.

Sighing she looked over at Tommy. He was the only one that would have told them. "Hey don't look at me, talk to Greg." Tommy said which made her wince. Greg had spilled the beans on Sam which would made Jason angry that she didn't tell. It would have been a little better coming from Tommy than Greg.

"Jason, its fine and we don't know that he did anything to Kat's tire. It could have been a fluke." She said as Jason just shook his head.

"Kim, I agree with Jason. Sam is dangerous and you should have told us." Trini said stepping up next to Jason.

"You know these hormones have made you soft." Kim muttered.

"Beside the point, anyway Sam is going to come after you and he is trying through your friends." Aisha piped in as Rocky nodded.

"We need to be on alert and make sure that you are safe." Rocky said grabbing his wife's hand.

"No, you do not have to make sure that I am safe. If he is after me through you, then you need to make sure that you are safe. I don't need you trying to protect me and risk yourselves. He doesn't know about most of you." She said as Tommy walked over to her.

"I agree with Kim." He said causing Jason and Rocky to stare.

"What has she done to you? Tommy, this is Kim we are talking about." Adam spoke up as Billy, Trini, Aisha, Rocky, Jason, Zack, Angela, and Tanya nodded.

"She is stronger than you think." Tommy stated as Kat and Hayley nodded. They knew that Kim was more than she appeared and it was time that the others thought so too.

"The guy is crazy." Greg said taking Kat's hand in his.

"I know that and I am on alert. He can't be near me and after last time, I don't think that he really wants too." Kim said. "Anyway, I'm hungry and I would like to pay a visit to the Youth Center." She said passing the line of friends to get into Tommy's Jeep. Tommy smiled and got in beside her as everyone else got into their vehicles. They couldn't really fight with her over this because she was an adult and they all knew that she could take care of herself. They just wanted to help her because they were a team and teams supported each other.

XXXX

"Hey Kimberly, I heard that you are competing at Worlds this year, are you coming out of retirement?" Ernie asked as soon as she walked in.

Smiling she walked over and hugged him. "No, I'm still retired but I will be performing for Worlds. They have voted to change the scoring system and want to pay tribute to those that paved the way for the change. They asked me to perform and of course I said yes." She said as the others came in behind her. They pushed a few tables together so that everyone could sit together.

"I will be watching you then, and I see that you bought friends along for lunch." He said with a smile.

"Well I think that they followed me more than me bringing them along. You know how groupies are." She said as he laughed.

"I'll grab your drinks and get Rocky's burger on the grill." He said before walking away. She smiled and made her way over to the tables. This was the best way to relax after that long flight.

XXXX

"So should i ask where you stayed while I was gone or can I just go by the blush." Kim said walking into her office the next day. She had meant to ask Kat before she left for Russia but things had been rushed and just crazy so she didn't get a chance.

"Kimberly Anne, where did Tommy sleep last night?" Kat asked trying to turn the tables.

"Oh in my bed but I asked you first. Greg seems like an ideal lover for you." She said as Kat blushed a deeper shade of red.

"Okay what happened to the sweet innocent Kimberly Hart, I became friends with in high school?" She asked putting off the question once again.

Laughing Kim looked out over the gym before she answered. "She grew up and learned that life is about the small things not the huge moments that change your life." She said as Kat nodded.

"Well I have been staying with Greg since my tire was slashed and I started out in the spare room but that lasted one night. Life is too short and I love Greg." Kat stated as Kim spun around with a huge smile on her face.

"I knew it; I knew that things had changed between you. He is a great guy and I approve of him." She said walking over to Kat. "I just ask that when he does ask you to marry him that you wait and tell everyone when I am there. I don't like hearing about it after the fact." She said hugging Kat.

"I promise and I'm glad that you like him. It means that we will last." She stated. Kim looked at her oddly though so she explained further. "Everyone else has your approval and they are happily married." She explained as Kim nodded.

"Did the security guys check the equipment?" She asked turning the conversation.

"Yea and they installed the new locks yesterday along with the security system. Why don't you want Tommy to know about that?" Kat asked suddenly.

Kim sighed and looked away from Kat to the gym. "If he knew that I was scared that Sam might try something then he would freak. I am taking these precautions to protect the girls. I can't let anything happen to them or to my friends. I won't risk anyone's life." She said looking back at Kat.

"What about your life?" She asked quietly.

"Well I have always risked that, especially as a Power Ranger so risking my life has never been a problem for me." She said walking out of the office.

Kat slowly got up and walked to the door to watch Kim strip her shirt and jeans off to reveal the pink leotard with a faint outline of a crane. It was the uniform that you fashioned the gym's leos for her girls. Kat watched over her as she flipped onto the beam and slowly worked out the kinks before slipping into a routine. It was always something to watch Kim on the beam because it reminded her of Kim's fall back in high school. Sometimes she had nightmares about not getting to Kimberly in time. Everyone's lives would be so different if she hadn't have gotten to her in time. Sam would not have a chance to harm Kimberly again.

XXXX

Kim made her way to her car when she realized that she had left her phone inside. Shaking her head, she slipped back in through the side door and walked up to her office. Walking to her desk, she found her phone and stuck it in her pocket. The gym was quiet since she was the only one still here. The girls had left over an hour ago along with Kat, Karen, and all the other assistants. Taking a breath, she made her way back down the stairs when she heard a noise. Bracing herself she turned around and saw her worst nightmare.

XXXX

Tommy smiled as he opened Kim's front door and walked into the kitchen to set the food down. He knew that she wanted to stay over and finish some paperwork for Worlds so he picked her up some food. He also wanted to tell her that David and Kelly were buying the house. They would be traveling a little while longer before they came back. He had decided that since he had the job at Angel Grove and Kim's gym was here that he would move into her house. It was perfect and really he loved her house. When he heard the front door open, he smiled and got out a plate. She was home a little earlier than he thought she would be. Turning he set the plate on the counter when Greg appeared.

"Oh that looks good but I've already eaten, Tommy." He said.

"What are you doing here? I thought that Kim was coming in." He said sticking the plate in the microwave.

"Well I'm not Kim but Kat sent me a text saying that she would be over here and I wanted to make sure that she made it back safely. Where's Kim?" He asked looking around.

"She's back at the gym working on some paperwork but Kat wasn't supposed to be here. The last time I talked to Kim, she said that Kat was already gone for the day." He said as his sixth sense kicked in. Something was wrong and it was something with Kimberly. "Let's go." He said grabbing his keys before running outside to his Jeep. Greg was right on his heels never questioning him. Kat had told him about Tommy and Kim's connection, how they would knew that something was wrong with the other at a moment's notice. Tommy cranked the Jeep and threw it in gear before making tracks to the gym. It had to be Sam, it just had to be.

XXXX

"What are you doing?" Kim asked as Sam stepped out of the shadows with Kat in his arms. He had a gun to her temple as Kim took a breath. Kat should have never been involved. This was between him and her not anyone else.

"I figured that if she was out of the picture that you would dump that loser and finally see that I am the only one for you." He said as Kim stared at him.

"Killing Kat will not do that, I love Tommy. She has done nothing to you, let her go." She said trying to reason with him.

"No, I don't think so. The moment she came into town, you noticed Tommy. It was like he didn't exist until then so she needs to leave and this is the only way." He ranted.

Shaking her head, she knew that she would have to make him let go of Kat. "No that's where you are wrong. I had already slept with him before Kat came back in town. He has always been in my mind and heart. I love him and I have loved him since we were in high school." She said. Kat was not struggling which was good. If she could get him to relax his guard then Kat could get away.

"No you are wrong!" He yelled waving the gun. "You love me!" He yelled releasing Kat and aiming the gun at Kim.

"No!" Kat yelled but he didn't move. The gun was pointing at Kim's heart.

"If I can't have you then he can't either. You are mine and will always be mine." He stated before he was knocked to the ground. The gun fired as Greg rushed to Kat's side to see if she was alright. The police surged in as Tommy got up and ran to where Kimberly had fallen.

"Kim? Are you alright?" He whispered as he knelt down next to her. Scooping her head up like he had done all those years ago, he checked her over for a gunshot wound. Shaking he leaned in. "Time to wake up beautiful." He whispered as she opened her eyes.

"Is he dead?" She asked.

"No but did he hit you?" He asked looking at her body again.

"I don't so but don't tell Jason that I fainted again." She whispered as he laughed.

"Well I don't think that he will hold this one against you since you did have a gun pointed at you." He said pulling up into his arms. The police arrested Sam and pulled him outside to the waiting squad cars. Greg had Kat wrapped in his arms while other police were checking the place over for clues. It was going to be a long night for them.

XXXX

"Jason, calm down. Everything is fine." Kim said grabbing a glass from the cabinet. Everyone had decided that they needed to come by and check on Kim the next day after work.

"Kimberly, that's not the point. He is very dangerous and unstable apparently. He attacked Katherine." Jason pointed out as Kim pour tea into her glass. Looking over at Kat, she saw that this had shaken her up. The good thing was that Greg had been at her side the entire time.

"Jason, its been hard enough on her. Let it be for the moment." Trini said placing her hand on his arm. They were all worried about what this would do to Kimberly mentally but for the moment they needed to not keep bringing it up.

"I'm okay, guys. I just need to focus on the girls and the gym." She said as they nodded. Jason stood up and walked over to her. Pulling her into his arms, he felt her wall come down as her tears began to flow.

"Kim, I'm sorry." He whispered as Tommy eased closer to them.

"What are you sorry for?" She muttered into his shoulder.

"That I wasn't there to protect you." He answered as she pulled back to look up at him.

"You showed me how to protect myself. You were there whispering to stay calm and get myself and Katherine out of there alive." She said hugging his again. This time when she pulled back from him they were both smiling. The tension was lessened between the friends with that one hug. They had discussed how Kat had sent Greg the message about being at Kim's in hopes that he would drive over there. It had been something quick and his number was the last one that she had called. Kim was just thankful that she had gotten a message to someone and that Tommy reacted when he heard.

XXXX

As the weeks flew by, Kim was thankful for her friends and that the Sam case was finally over. The judge had rushed the trial and Sam was found guilty. He was sentenced to a psych ward. The jury had felt that he was too unstable to be in regular prison but Kim was okay with that. Once Sam was dealt with, she had to fly to Italy and Australia for the World Team meets. The girls had done amazing well and Kim knew that they were ready for Worlds. They would be flying out tomorrow. She was excited for the girls but she was also nervous. They had been training all year for this and it all came down to three days of intense competition. Looking around the gym, she had to smile. She was ready to perform once again for the World. She was packed and ready to go with her favorite leotard in her gym bag. It was the one that she had won the Olympic All-Around Gold Medal in. Flipping the lights off, she left the gym and made her way home. Tommy and Kaylie were already there waiting for her.

XXXX

Stepping off the plane, Kim looked up at the sign saying welcome to Melbourne, Australia. She could feel a chill in the air as well it should be since it was winter here. It was something that she never got use to when she performed but at least the gym would be heated. She was bought back to the present when Tommy took her hand in his and they walked through the airport to their waiting bus. The girls would get the rest of the day off before the press conference tomorrow and opening ceremonies would be the day after.

XXXX

_Welcome to the World Gymnastics Championships here in Melbourne, Australia. This year is a very special year with past gymnasts competing once again but this time not for points or medals but for the crowd. Some of the gymnasts to compete are Mary Lou Retton, Carly Paterson, and USA World Team Coach Kimberly Hart. This is to honor the old scoring system and showcase the ones who scored the perfect ten in an international competition. Stay tune for the opening ceremonies with Kimberly taking the floor in less than ten minutes. If you haven't seen this young woman compete you are in for treat today. She will compete on all four events and show you why girls have been dominating the international scene. _

XXXX

Kim smiled as she raised her arms to the judges. It was time to begin. Walking to the edge of the blue mat, she took a breath and waited for the music to start.

XXXX

Okay so what did everyone think? Please let me know. The next chapter should be out soon and also there are only 2 chapters left! Don't worry though because the next chapter will feature Worlds.


	34. Worlds

A/N: Okay here is the new chapter and I hope that everyone had a wonderful July 4th!

XXXX

"Awe, Kim looks beautiful." Trini said sitting down next to Jason. They were up super late to watch the opening ceremonies. Since Worlds were taking place in Australia, the time difference came into effect.

"Yea she does but you do know that they will rebroadcast this later on TV." He said grabbing some popcorn that she had set down beside the computer.

"Oh I know but I wanted to watch this part live." She said as he sighed and pulled her next to him. He had plugged the computer up to the TV so that they won't have to crowd around the computer screen to watch Kim perform.

"It's a good thing that we are both off tomorrow because this is going to be late." He said as they heard a knock on the front door. "Who is knocking on my door at this time?" He muttered as he got up and walked to the front door. Opening the door, he almost slammed it again when he saw who it was.

"Sorry, we just knew that you were watching Kim and Rocky thought that it would be awesome to watch it with you." Aisha said from behind her husband.

Shifting, Jason opened the door wider to allow them to past when he saw Adam, Tanya, Kat, Greg, Billy, and Hayley pull up in the drive. "Trini, we have got to move." He said walking away from the door. He did leave it wide open though so that everyone would just walk in.

"Hey guys, just make yourself at home." Trini said as Jason sat down beside her.

"Thanks Trini." Rocky said sitting beside her before grabbing the popcorn.

"I can't believe that everyone decided to watch Kim tonight." Jason said grabbing the popcorn away from Rocky.

"Well we always tried to watch her together so we took a chance that you would be up and watching it." Adam said as the others nodded.

Laughing, Trini just fell in love with her friends all over again. This is what their friendship work years after school. Zack and Angela were missing but at the moment that was okay because she knew that they were watching Kim as well.

"Okay so Kim is up first, right?" Aisha asked as Trini nodded. They watched as Kim stepped into the spotlight and wait for the music to start.

XXXX

Tommy watched Kim step onto the mat as the music started. She looked amazing in her pink leo as the first chords drifted through the speakers.

_Yeah,Uhh...  
Uhh...  
Yeah..  
It's the world's greatest, Yo,  
It's the world's greatest, Come on,  
World's Greatest, Ever  
_

Kim took off running and began her routine with a double twisting, double flip that amazed even the gymnasts. She still had it even after retiring a few years ago and she was showing it.

_I am a mountain  
I am a tall tree  
Oh, I am a swift wind  
Sweepin' the country  
I am a river  
Down in the valley  
Oh, I am a vision  
And I can see clearly  
If anybody asks you who I am  
Just stand up tall look 'em in the face and say  
_  
_I'm that star up in the sky  
I'm that mountain peak up high  
Hey, I made it  
I'm the world's greatest  
And I'm that little bit of hope  
When my back's against the ropes  
I can feel it mmm  
I'm the world's greatest  
_

The crowd gained their feet as Kim tumbled across the mat with a grace that everyone had missed. It was just something to see her perform without worrying about scoring higher than anyone else.

_I am a giant  
I am an eagle  
I am a lion  
Down in the jungle  
I am a marchin' band  
I am the people  
I am a helpin' hand  
And I am a hero  
If anybody asks you who I am  
Just stand up tall look 'em in the face and say_

_I'm that star up in the sky  
I'm that mountain peak up high  
Hey I made it  
I'm the world's greatest  
And I'm that little bit of hope  
When my backs against the ropes  
I can feel it  
I'm the world's greatest  
_  
_In the ring of life I'll reign love  
(I will reign)  
And the world will notice a king  
(Oh Yeah)  
When all is darkest, I'll shine a light  
(Shine a light)  
And use a success you'll find in me  
(Me)  
_  
_I'm that star up in the sky  
I'm that mountain peak up high  
Hey, I made it  
I'm the world's greatest  
And I'm that little bit of hope  
When my back's against the ropes  
I can feel it  
I'm the world's greatest  
_  
_I'm that star up in the sky  
I'm that mountain peak up high  
Hey, I made it  
I'm the world's greatest  
And I'm that little bit of hope  
When my back's against the ropes  
I can feel it  
I'm the world's greatest  
_

Standing at the edge of the mat, Kim took a breath before taking off running once again. This was the perfect song to open up Worlds and she loved it. Throwing everything she had, she flipped and twisting in time with the lyrics and beat of the song. Just knowing that Tommy and her girls were watching had her smiling with each flip.

_(I saw the light)_

_I'm that star up in the sky_

_(At the end of a tunnel)  
I'm that mountain peak up high_

_(Believed in the pot of gold)  
Hey, I made it_

_(At the end of the rainbow)  
I'm the world's greatest_

_(And faith was right there)  
And I'm that little bit of hope_

_(To pull me through, yeah)  
When my back's against the ropes_

_(Used to be locked doors)  
I can feel it_

_(Now I can just walk on through)  
I'm the world's greatest  
_  
_It's the greatest  
Can you feel it  
It's the greatest  
Can you feel it  
_

_(I saw the light)_

_I'm that star up in the sky_

_(At the end of a tunnel)  
I'm that mountain peak up high_

_(Believed in the pot of gold)  
It's the greatest_

_(At the end of the rainbow)  
It's the greatest_

As the music faded, Kim arched her back and rotated to her knees. Slinging her head, back she held her pose as the song finished. Breath hard, she smiled as the crowd went wild. She stood up and bowed to the judges and fans before walking over to the girls.

XXXX

"_**This is Brad with EPSN and we are bringing you live coverage of the World Championships of Artistic Gymnastics and if you just joined us, then you missed a show. Coach Kimberly Hart opened this year's Worlds with an outstanding floor routine that is probably making everyone wonder why she retired. I know I am." **_The announcer stated.

"_**Brad, I will have to agree with you on that one. Kimberly Anne Hart is showing that she still has what it takes to earn a medal. With the new code of points starting next year, the World committee decided to remind everyone what the World's greatest could do. Kimberly started the day off right and it just gets better. Mary Lou will vault the same vault that won her the All-Around Gold medal at the 1986 Olympics."**_ Gary the second announcer said.

"_**Of course the action will not stop there as Kimberly will also perform on bars, vault, then beam along with Carly Patterson but the USA will not be the only country performing. All of the European countries have at least one gymnast representing their country including a few that will be competing for medals in the coming days."**_

XXXX

"So Kim is the only one left?" Rocky asked as Kim walked over to the beam. It had been the plan for Kim to start and finish the show and the only way to finish for Kim was on the beam. They had watched everyone else perform their routines and each getting a perfect '10' from the judges. The World committee thought that it would be a nice surprise for the former gymnasts to see a score post after each event. Of course everyone earned the 10 but that's what made it fun. It wasn't supposed to be a competition with them.

"Is she performing to music?" Trini asked as Kim paused before the springboard that would launch her onto the beam.

"Yea, she has been practicing with music but she wouldn't let me know what the song was; only that it was perfect for her." Kat injected as Trini nodded. They were spread out in the living room waiting for Kim's cue.

XXXX

"_**Okay folks, if you haven't seen Kimberly perform on beam then you are in for a treat. Every competition she entered, she won at least one medal on beam and holds the World record for the most medals on beam. Coach Bela Karoli nicknamed her the Queen of the Beam and boy does that name fit her to a T."**_ Brad from ESPN said while Kim waited on her music.

"_**You are correct, Brad. Angel Grove has an amazing woman representing them. Also as I look over the crowd, there is another athlete from Angel Grove, the rookie NASCAR driver, Tommy Oliver. His niece is the current captain of the US Worlds Team. Angel Grove has got to be in love with them."**_ Gary said.

"_**I'm sure they are and I think the best part of Kimberly's beam today will be that she will be performing it to music. Let's get you back to the action as Kimberly gets ready to perform."**_ He said as the screen cut back to Kimberly.

XXXX

_Glitz and Glamour, Fortune, Fame_

Kim took off towards the springboard and flipped onto the beam with speed and poise. The crowd cheered as the music flowed through the arena. Kim smiled as she flexed then flipped once again. She was in time with the beat which was fast. Tommy held his breath as she flipped, danced, and just moved up and down the beam. This was her element and it showed.

_6 am and its just the beginning  
__Why bother playing if you don't plan on winning  
__Don't have time for the boys and the action  
__It's about the money, honey,  
__Don't need distraction_

The lights in the arena dimmed just a fraction as Kim eased into a backbend. She knew this routine by heart and the light show had only just begun and she was ready for the show as well.

_Don't hate me  
__(Don't hate me)  
__Come on people check my style  
__Sea to shining sea,  
__Everybody sing it now_

_Ohh yea  
__Here we go  
__Baby, hear my song now  
__It's playing on the radio_

_Ooh yea  
__Alright  
__Anytime you turn around  
__You're gonna see my name in lights_

The lights flashed as the huge score boards lit up with names flashing across them. The committee had wanted this part to be a surprise. Tommy looked up at the score boards as saw several names scrolling across.

_**Mary Lou Retton: USA, Lilia Podkopayeva: Ukraine, Svetlana Khorkina: Russia**_

_My name in lights  
__My name in lights  
__You're gonna see my name in lights  
__Word to the wise  
__When you open your eyes  
__You're going to see my name in lights_

_**Nadia Comaneci: Romania, Alex Croak: Australia, Mo Huilan: China**_

_Diamond rings  
__Gucci things  
__Don't have time for summer flings  
__I just need a glimpse  
__I know what next season brings_

_**Nellie Kim: USSR, Larissa Latynina: USR, Carly Patterson: USA**_

_Girls can you feel me?  
__(can you feel me)  
__Boys do you want me  
__(do you want me)  
__I wish I could check to see  
__If my name's in lights for all to see_

_Don't hate me  
__(don't hate me)  
__Don't hate me now_

_Glitz and glamour  
__Fortune, fame_

_**Dian Kochetkova: Russia, Olga Korbut: USSR, Gina Gogean: Romania**_

_Sea to shining sea  
__Shh it makes me  
__Touch me, feel me  
__Say my name_

_Ohh yeah  
__Here we go  
__Baby, hear my song  
__Now its playing on the radio_

_**Oksana Omelianchik: USSR, Catalina Ponor: Romania, Vera Caslavska: TCH**_

_Ooh yea  
__Alright  
__Anytime you turn around  
__You're gonna see my name in lights_

_**Shannon Miller: USA, Monette Russo: Australia, Fan Ye: China**_

_My name in lights  
__My name in lights  
__You're gonna see my name in lights  
__Word to the wise  
__When you open your eyes  
__You're gonna see my name in lights_

_**Olga Mostepanova: USSR, Kui Yuanyuam: China, Dominique Dawes: USA**_

_You're gonna see my name in lights  
__You're gonna see my name in lights_

_Glitz and glamour  
__Fortune, fame  
__Fame, fame _

_**Allana Slater: Australia, Amanda Borden: USA, Zhang Nan: China**_

_Ohh yeah  
__You're gonna see my name in lights_

_My name in lights  
__My name in lights  
__You're gonna see my name in lights  
__My name in lights  
__My name in lights  
__Gonna see my name in lights  
__Word to the wise  
__When you open your eyes_

_**Elena Shushunova: USSR, Dominique Mocceanu: USA, Daniela Silivas: Romania**_

_Ohh yeah  
__Here we go  
__Baby, hear my song  
__Now its playing on the radio_

_Ooo yeah  
__Alright  
__Anytime you turn around  
__You're gonna see my name in lights_

_**Yang Bo: China, Jaycie Phelps: USA, Lavinia Milosovici: Romania**_

_Ohh yeah here we go  
__Baby, hear my song  
__Now its playing on the radio_

_Ooo yeah  
__Alirght  
__Anytime you turn around  
__You're gonna see my name in lights_

_**Lisa Skinner: Australia, Julianna McNamara: USA, Olesya Dudnik: USR**_

_My name in lights  
__My name in lights  
__Ohh, you're gonna see my name in lights_

_**Kerri Strug: USA, Ludmilla Tourischeva: USSR, Anna Pavlova: Russia**_

_A word to the wise  
__When you open your eyes_

_**Svetlana Grozdova: USSR, Amy Chow: USA, Oana Ban: Romania**_

Kim started her dismount and stuck the landing as the last line blasted through the speakers and the scoreboard lit up once again. The name flashing this time had Tommy cheering out loud.

_You're gonna see  
__MY NAME IN LIGHTS_

_**Kimberly Anne Hart: USA**_

Kim smiled and looked up. It was her name in lights as Tommy rushed to her from the stands. The crowd went wild as Tommy leaned in to whisper in her ear. No one knew that what he was saying until he knelt down in front of her with the ring in his extended hand. The crowd quieted down and wondered what was going on. Was it a joke? Or was this real?

XXXX

"He is PROPOSING!" Trini screamed as Tommy knelt down. Everyone had loved Kim's routine to the music and lights but no one had been prepared for Tommy to rush to the mat and ask her to marry him.

"It's a good thing that she is going to say yes or he would look like a fool." Jason muttered as Trini hit him with a pillow.

"Well I think that its amazing! I can't believe that is asking her. I mean she has been hinting for months it seems like." Kat commented as Kim nodded. They watched as Tommy slid the ring on her finger before picking her up and spinning her around.

"I'm glad that he finally asked her, its been killing me to keep that secret." Trini said walking into the kitchen. She needed something else to drink.

"Whoa, wait. What did you say?" Aisha asked jumping up and following Trini into the kitchen. Everyone else got up and joined them in the kitchen. They had to hear this.

"I said that I am glad he proposed." Trini said grabbing a can out of the fridge.

"You knew that he had the ring?" Aisha asked as Trini nodded. "When did you find out? Oh Kim is going to kill you for not telling her."

"Well I stumbled upon the ring when I was looking for his passport so I knew about the ring before Kim asked me to find out if Tommy was thinking marriage. So no she can't be mad since its been killing me not to tell her." She finished before walking back into the living room. It was late but they wanted to watch the rest of the opening ceremonies.

"You know I don't want to be a fly on that wall when you tell Kim that you knew about the ring." Rocky said walking back into the living room. Everyone else just shook their heads and walked back him.

XXXX

Kim couldn't help but smile as her girls walked out to join her on the sidelines. They would not be competing until tomorrow but they got to walk out today. Fingering the ring that was now on her finger, had her smiling bigger. When Tommy had joined her on the floor, she wasn't sure what was going on. He had leaned in and whispered that she was the love of his life and he didn't want to spend another day without her. It had been amazing but the best part was when he knelt down in front of her and asked her to be his wife. The ring was sparking up at her and she started crying as Tommy slid the ring on her finger. She was still crying when he picked her up and spun her around just like he had when she had agreed to go with him to the dance.

As the ceremonies came to a close, she knew that she would have several messages on her phone. Hopefully they got to watch even though it was late back in the states. She wanted to share that moment with them along with Tommy.

XXXX

Competition began the next day and for the girls they knew the score. They had to do their best every time they stepped onto the mat. They were on their last rotation for the day. Each girl had done very well up until this point but they were still in third place. The great thing was that the beam was their best event. Alex was up and ready while Kaylie was waiting in the wings. They were the last two and knew that they would need to be flawless if they had any hope of going home with the Team Gold medal.

XXXX

Kim watched as Alex flipped into the beam and began her routine. The girls had been steadfast through each event and now they were down to their last. Only time would tell if they scored high enough to claim the Team Gold medal. Touching her ring, she watched Alex flex and compete a back handspring, double layout combination. Her toe touched the end of the beam as she took a breath. This was the last of her routine and Kim watched as she raised her arms above her head and completed her dismount. Alex flew through the air and soared over the end of the beam. Completing two and a half turns, her feet touched the blue mat and didn't move. Gaining her balance, she smiled big and raised her arms above her head once more.

Kim smiled, she couldn't ask for a better routine. Alex had gave it her all and left it all on the mat. Kaylie was next as Alex's score came on the screen. If Kaylie scored well then they would have first place.

XXXX

Kaylie took a breath and counted to three. Flipping onto the beam, she focused not on the beam but on her uncle. He was making her dream come true and this routine was for him. Arching backwards, she placed her hands on the beam and lifted her feet off of the beam and over her head. Pushing off of her hands, she flipped and turned until she stood at the end of the beam, taking a moment; she jumped and started her dismount. She cleared her thoughts as she cleared the beam and saw the mat coming fast. All she had to do was stick the landing.

XXXX

Tommy gripped his seat as Kaylie finally did her last turn and land on her feet. It seemed like she couldn't quite get her balance but finally she straighten. She had stuck the landing which meant that she would score well.

XXXX

"_And with that today's team competition is completed. As the final scores are put in, we await to see who will take home the Team Gold medal." _The announcer said through the PA system.

Kim hugged her girls close as they waited for Kaylie's score. They were so close and now it was just a waiting game. She could feel the nerves and they were not coming from the girls. She was nervous for them. They deserved first place.

"Coach?" Kaylie asked looking at her.

"Don't worry everyone did their best and I couldn't ask for anything more." Kim said as Kaylie nodded.

"I know but do you know that?" She asked taking one of Kim's hands and squeezed it. The scoreboard was finally turned around for them to see Kaylie's score as the huge scoreboard flashed the team results.

"Oh my…" Alex started as everyone screamed.

"You won!" Kim yelled over the noise. The crowd was going wild. USA had just edged out the Russian team and won the Gold Medal.

"You know this is just like when the Magnificent Seven won Gold in Atlanta." Whitney said as Kim shook her head no.

"No, its better because this time you did it. This is your Gold medal and you all deserve it." She said hugging them once again.

XXXX

Tommy stood at Kim's side as the girls made their way to the podium. They were in their track suits that had USA on the arm. She griped Tommy's hand as the girls stood tall. This was their time to shine.

"They look amazing." Tommy whispered as she nodded. "Do you ever miss this?" He asked looking down at her while the Russians received their Silver medals.

"Sometimes but seeing them earn that medal makes it all worth it." She whispered back as the girls' names were called out one by one. They then received their medals and flowers. The Chinese, Russian, and American flags were lowered from the ceiling. The American flag was in the center directly in front of the girls. Kim and Tommy turned and placed their hands over their hearts as the National Anthem started playing. It was then that the tears came rolling down Kim's cheeks. She remembered every time it had been played for her but this time it was better. The reason was not the girls standing behind her but the man standing beside her.

XXXX

It was the final day of competition and Kim was glad. It had been a long few days but her girls were pushing through it. After winning the Team Gold Medal, they had also medal a few times yesterday. Kaylie and Alex had taken Gold and Silver on the beam; Whitney had earn Bronze on the bars; Lauren, Allison, and Sara were switching in and out and just doing their best. Kim couldn't really ask for more. Today though only Kaylie, Alex, and Whitney would be competing, it was the All-Around competition. If you got to compete was based on your scores from the previous two days.

Standing to the sidelines, she watched the girls warm up for the day and reached for Tommy's hand. He had been at her side throughout this competition.

"They look ready." He whispered as she nodded. They were ready.

XXXX

"How are they doing?" Jason asked sitting down beside his wife.

"Well they are on their final rotation." She supplied taking the drink from him.

"Let me guess, they are on the beam." He said as she shook her head.

"Actually they are on floor but Kaylie's beam was the best that I have seen all day. She has the highest score at the moment and if that continues then she will win the All-Around on beam." She said as Whitney took the floor. They saw that she was performing to Pink Panther soundtrack. It was a good song for her and Trini really liked it.

XXXX

"Great job, Whitney." Kim said as Whitney hugged her as soon as came off the floor. It was Alex's turn and her music was great. She had decided to change her music a few weeks ago and Kim had to admit that the routine worked better with it.

"What is that music, I've heard it before." Tommy said as Kim smiled.

"Yea its from Aladdin and its called A Friend Like Me. She wanted an upbeat song and this was her pick." Kim said with a smile. Alex's routine was clean and high octane. She was like a flipping machine. Each turn and twist had the clean lines that the judges loved. She powered through her last pass and ending with a double arabian.

"That looked great." Tommy said as they clapped.

"Oh yea it did and she totally added that double arabian but it was beautiful." Kim said pulling Alex into a hug as soon as she got close. Only one girl left and she knew that Kaylie's routine would be different from Alex's in that it was much slower. She would be performing to I've Had the Time of My Life. It would showcase her grace and clean lines but also reveal her power through each flip.

XXXX

Kaylie waited for the music to start before she arched her back and began her routine. She eased to the corner of the mat and took off running this pass was easy. It was the next one that she would perform the whip-back that had her sweating a little. She had completed it before but today was a new day. Taking a moment, she started her second pass and powered through and smiled as her feet touched the mat after completing the whip-back. Really smiling now, she finished her routine with ease and as the music hit the last note, she fell to the mat for the finale. Jumping up she raised her arms before running towards her team and Coach. She was embraced as soon as she made it to them.

"That was wonderful, Kaylie." Kim whispered before letting her go. Kaylie then hugged her teammates as they awaited her score.

"Look at that." Tommy said pointing to the scoreboard. Kaylie turned and saw that she had taken first place over Alex. She had won Gold on beam and Floor which meant that she was…

"You won All-Around Gold!" Whitney screamed hugging her close.

"I can't believe it." Kaylie muttered when Alex hugged her.

"Believe it, you were great." She said backing away.

XXXX

"The World Committee would like to present you with your 2005 World Champions in the All-Around competition. In third place representing Russia is Svetlana Ban." The presenter said as the Bronze medal was placed around her neck and she was handed a bouqet of roses. "In second place representing the United States is Alexandria Williams." The man said as the Silver medal was placed around her neck and she was handed roses. "And your All-Around Champion in first placed representing the United States is Kaylie Trueheart." The presenter said as the Gold medal was looped over her head and she was handed some roses. Kaylie looked up as the flags were lowered from the ceiling. There was the Russian flag and two American flags in front of her and as the National Anthem started playing, she looked over to her uncle and coach. Tommy was smiling as Kim was crying. They were the ones that had gotten her here and she wanted to share this moment with them. As the song finished she raised her roses above her head and waved to the crowd.

XXXX

So what did you think? Please let me know. The songs used were World's Greatest by R. Kelly and My Name in Lights by Sarah Leichtenberg. There is only one chapter left! Also all of the gymnasts except for of course Kim, during the lyrics of My Name in Lights are real people. These women are some of my favorites. I also watched several youtube videos to help compile this list.


	35. Dream Achieved

A/N: I don't own anything but the concept and the girls. This is the last chapter and I would like to thank everyone that has read the story. Also a bog thanks to those that reviewed the chapters. I loved reading them and hope that this chapter is what you were picturing.

XXXX

"Oh Ernie this is great." Kim said stepping into the Youth Center. He had called and said that he had a surprise for her and the girls. It had been a week since they had gotten back and she was just now getting use to things again. The gym had settled down and it would be a few weeks before the World Team started their press tour. She had arranged it that way so that they girls could settle a little before traveling across the country giving interviews.

"I'm glad you like it. Tommy helped set it up and congratulations on getting engaged." He said as she smiled.

"Thank you and I do have a favor to ask of you." She said looking at him.

"Kimberly anything for you, just name it." He said.

She took his hand. "Ernie, you have been like a father to me and I want you to walk me down the aisle." She stated.

"I would be more than happy to walk you down the aisle. You and the others are like my children. I'm sure that I saw more of you guys back in high school than your parents did some days." He said with a laugh.

"Yea that's true and thank you." She said hugging as everyone else walked in. They had a huge grill out the day after Kim, the girls, and Tommy had flown back to the states. She had grilled Trini about claiming to not know anything. Tommy had finally stepped in and told her that he had asked Trini not to tell her so that it would be a surprise and it had been a surprise. It was perfect way for him to ask her. Tommy then told her that David and Kelly had bought the house from him and that he had a job at Angel Grove High School. He had solved a problem before she had even thought about it. She knew that it would have been a problem for her to move to Reefside with the gym here and he had known that and took care of it. He was a very special man.

XXXX

"What? Two months is not enough time to throw together a wedding. Kimberly what is wrong with you?" Trini asked sitting down next to Kim on the couch. Since she had been out of town for the past few weeks, Kim had invited all the girls over to discuss the wedding. She and Tommy had agreed to a short engagement over the phone while she was with the girls on their tour. They couldn't wait to get married. It had already been too long for them and they didn't want to wait any longer.

"Okay I can do this since I have had my wedding planned since I was 6. The ceremony will be in the park while the reception will be at Ernie's. I've already talked to the florist and the bakery and pretty much everything is taken care of except our dresses and the boys' tuxedos. Don't worry I can pull this off." She said trying to reassure them.

"Kim may be right. Think about it Trini, we will be really huge if she waits a few months." Aisha said as Kim smiled. She at least had Aisha on board. Now all she needed was Kat, Tanya, Hayley, Angela, and Trini.

"Well I think that a short engagement is best for you guys. I mean you have waited years for this moment." Hayley said as Kat and Angela nodded.

"Hayley's right, now Trini we all know that Kim has had her wedding day planned for forever. Don't worry this is Kim and who throws a better party than Kimberly Anne Hart." Tanya said as Trini sighed.

"Fine, fine." Trini said as Kim smiled. "Come on, if you are getting married in two months then we need to find your wedding dress along with whatever pink creation you are putting us in." She said grabbing Kim's hand. Kim laughed and grabbed her purse on the way out. Their first stop would be David's Bridal and she knew what dresses the girls would wear and the design would look great on each of them.

XXXX

"Is this the one, Miss Hart?" The consultant asked. Normally you couldn't just walk in without an appointment but sometimes being famous had its perks. The women just about fell over themselves when they realized that she was the World Team coach and had been proposed to at Worlds on live TV.

"I'm not sure." Kim whispered looking at herself in the mirror. She had dreamed of this moment all her life but she didn't know that it would be this hard to choose a dress.

"If you are not sure then this is not your dress." The woman said as Kim nodded. Turning she walked out of the room so that the girls could see this dress.

"What do you think?" Kim asked spinning in front of them.

"Its pretty but its not your dress." Aisha said as Trini nodded.

"Its wonderful but Aisha's right, its not your dress." Tanya and Angela agreed.

Kim sighed and walked back to the dressing room. This was the third dress that she had tried on. They all had been different designs but in her heart she knew that she was meant to get married in a ball gown. It was really cliché but Tommy had always called her his princess and what did the princess wear to the ball, a ball gown.

"Let's try this one." The woman said as Kim nodded. She slipped out of the mermaid style wedding gown and stepped into the ball gown. It was gorgeous with all the tiny beads that sparkled in the lights. The woman zipped it up before clipping the back so that the fit would look like it was supposed too. Kim spun around and looked at herself in the mirror. She smiled and fell in love with the dress.

"I think that this is the one." The woman said as Kim nodded. "We can add straps if you want." The woman said as Kim shook her head. She loved the strapless look and it would look beautiful with the veil. "Here let's put this on to complete the look." The woman said placing the veil on Kim's head and clipping it into her hair. "Now let's see if your friends agree with you." The woman said as Kim nodded. She opened the door faced her friends.

"Oh wow, it's the one." Trini whispered as everyone nodded.

"It looks like you." Hayley said as everyone got up and circled Kim.

"This is my dress." Kim said as everyone laughed. It really was made for Kim. The saleslady took Kim's measurements and promised that the alterations would be completed in little of no time. "Okay now its your turn." She told the girls as they groaned. She had already picked out their style of dress; she just wanted to see it on them. Laughing she sat down and waited for them to show her how they looked.

XXXX

"Two months? I can't believe that Kim has agreed to that short of a time table. I would think that she would need at least a year to plan the wedding." Jason said flipping the burgers on the grill.

"Are you kidding me? This is Kim. I'm sure that she has had her wedding planned since birth." Rocky said grabbing a plate for the burgers.

"Yea that's true." Adam said leaning back in the chair.

Tommy smiled before replying. "Well Kim was the one to suggest the short time frame since the girls will be coming back from their media tour a week before then. Don't worry Kim said that she had everything taken care of. It will be in the park with the reception at Ernie's. As far as I know all of the big things are out of the way but her dress and my tux but that's easy." He said taking a drink.

"Okay this gives us a short time frame to plan your bachelor party but we can make it work." Jason said.

"Uh no, Kim said no bachelor party because she heard stories about Rocky's." He said.

"What? Okay first off Rocky planned his own bachelor party and we were just along for the ride and no girls were involved." Jason said pointing the tongs at Rocky.

"Oh she knows that there were no girls but she heard about the Power Rangers robbing a convenience store and who could forget the Power Ranger running into Wal-Mart to grab some thongs." Tommy said as Rocky laughed. The other guys just sighed. It had not been the best idea but since it was Rocky's night, they went along with it. "Anyway she said we should have a normal guys night at the strip club and not to let Rocky drive." He said.

"Really? The Angel Grove strip club is not the place I would want for my bachelor party. I mean Jason's night was bad enough but I refuse to do that again." Adam piped in as Tommy agreed. He didn't know how the strip club stayed in business. It was really just a place to get drunk and some old women dancing on the bar.

"I say we just stay at home and play x-box." Billy said as Adam agreed. They both preferred not to pay another visit to the strip club.

"I'm up for that." Tommy said as Rocky set the plate of burgers down.

"Man your bachelor party is going to suck. Kim takes all the fun out of stuff." Rocky said grabbing a bun and burger.

"At least we are not going blow our cover as former rangers for my party." Tommy said with a laugh. Everyone finally settled down and decided that they would lay low for the bachelor party. Tommy didn't want to incur Kim's wrath or blow the secret of their past.

XXXX

"Oh Kim that gown is even better today than it was two months ago." Angela said adjusting the train of Kim's dress. They were in the girls' locker room at the Youth Center getting ready while Tommy and the boys were in the boys' locker room. Since the wedding was in the park, they would only be a short walk away.

"Thanks, Angela. I was worried that they won't get it altered in time but she called me last week and told me to come pick it up." She said looking in the mirror.

"How did you keep Tommy from seeing it?" Kat asked adjusting her dress. Kim had picked out a pale pink that looked great on all the girls. Their dresses were strapless and an A-line design.

"She hid it at my house." Aisha said with a smile. She was putting the finishing touches on her make-up.

Trini smiled as she put her shoes on. "I can't believe you left it there with Rocky. I mean my house was out because Jason would have told Tommy but Rocky? You are crazy." She said standing up.

"Well Rocky didn't know that it was there so no worries." Aisha supplied as Kim nodded. She looked at all the girls and smiled. They looked great. She heard a knock at the door and turned to watch Trini go to the door.

"Who is it?" Trini asked. Kim didn't want anyone to see her in her dress in case they told Tommy what it looked like.

"Kaylie." The voice said on the other side of the door. At Kim's nod, Trini opened the door. "Oh wow," Kaylie breathed. "You look gorgeous." She said walking over to Kimberly.

"Thanks, how is your Uncle?" She asked.

"Oh he's pacing and worried about whether you will walk down the aisle. I think Uncle Rocky said something to him. Uncle Jason told him to calm down and that you won't leave him high and dry on your wedding day." She said circling Kim.

Laughing, Kim thought about Rocky torturing Tommy. Looking back at Kaylie, Kim wished that she would have agreed to be in the wedding. Kaylie was a big part of why Kim and Tommy were getting married. "You know that me marrying you Uncle changes nothing, right?"

"Yea, Uncle Tommy talk to me. I'm fine with the wedding. I want both of you happy." She said as Kim pulled her into a hug. "Whoa, watch your dress." Kaylie said with a laugh.

"Don't worry about my dress. I love you and if I have a little girl, I hope that she is just like you." Kim said pulling back from her.

"I love you too." Kaylie said wiping her eyes. "I guess I better get back to Uncle Tommy. He doesn't need to be alone with Uncle Rocky for too long." She said walking out of the room.

"Well I see that my husband is causing problems but at least Jason and Adam are in the room with them." Aisha said as the girls laughed. Kim walked over to the window and smiled. It was going to be a wonderful day and she couldn't wait to get started.

XXXX

"You are going to wrinkle that tie, if you don't leave it alone." Jason said looking over at Tommy. They had picked out the standard black tuxedos with pink cummerbunds to match the bridesmaids dresses. They each had a pink rose pinned to their chest as well. Kim had picked out the color so that it would match perfectly because if it had been left up to him, they would have had a hot pink or something close. Sighing Tommy turned to see the guys spread out waiting until it was their time to walk out to the park.

"You know, pink really looks good on you maybe you should be the Pink Ranger next." Rocky said with a laugh.

"Ha ha, very funny. Don't you think that Uncle Tommy would clash with Kim if he did that?" Kaylie asked walking into the room.

"What happened to knocking? One of us could have been changing." Tommy said looking at his niece.

"Well since you were all dressed before I left a minute ago, I took a chance. Anyway dad said that its time." She said leaving the room. Tommy smiled and followed his niece outside. The music was playing softly from a song system that Zack had bought them for the ceremony. Walking up the aisle by himself, he finally stopped at the edge of the lake and faced the crowd that had gathered. There were several rows of white chairs that lined both side of the aisle. They guys would walk up the aisle with the girls while Ernie would walk Kim to him. Taking a deep breath, he heard the music change as Kat and Greg stepped to the end of the aisle. Angela and Zack were next followed by Billy and Hayley. Stepping up to the end of the aisle next were Aisha and Rocky then finally Trini and Jason.

XXXX

Kim took a breath as she peeked over the crowd to see Tommy. He looked amazing in the black tux. She noticed that he had gotten his hair cut yesterday so it wasn't as spikey. He still had the gel in it though. She was amazed that he had agreed to the pink cummerbunds but it did awesome on him and on all the other guys. Looking at him standing proudly at the end of the aisle made the past year worth everything, she loved that man more than anything. She wasn't nervous which was odd since it was her wedding day but she had nothing to be nervous about. She heard the music changed as Ernie squeezed her hand.

"Are you ready?" Ernie asked as Kim looked up at him.

"Yes I am." She replied as they started walking.

XXXX

The music shifted to the wedding march as Kim and Ernie stepped into view. Looking at his bride, he had to remember to breath. The veil hid her face from him but he would know that woman anywhere. There was a subtle way that she got to him. Watching her walk toward him, there was a peace that settled over him. He loved her more than anything. Once she reached his side, he took her hand in his and turned to the preacher.

XXXX

"It is my pleasure to present to you for the first time, Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Oliver, finally." Jason said as everyone cheered and clapped as Tommy and Kim walked into the Youth Center. It had been transformed from their teen hangout to reception to die for. Ernie had out done himself this time and Kim loved it. Standing in line, they received well-wishes and congrats from their friends and family before making their way to their table. Servers appeared and started setting down plates in front of the guests and bridal party while Zack walked over to the microphone.

"Hey everyone, first off I would like to say that I am so happy that these two are finally married. You would have thought that they would have been the first of all of us to marry but they are stubborn. Anyway since I was told that I have a voice like an angel, I have prepared a song for the happy couple." He said as everyone laughed. Kim out her fork down so that she could enjoy whatever song Zack had picked out for them.

_When the rain is blowin' in your face  
__And the whole world is on your case  
__I could offer you a warm embrace  
__To make you feel my love._

Tommy stood up and offered his hand to Kimberly. Smiling she took it and stood up. They walked hand-in-hand to the makeshift dance floor. Pulling her into his arms, Tommy shifted her close and moved to the beat of the song. It was slow and perfect for their first dance.

_When the evening shadows and the stars appear  
__And there is no one there to dry your tears  
__I could hold you for a million years  
__To make you feel my love.  
__I know you haven't made your mind up yet  
__But I would never do you wrong  
__I've known it from the moment that we met  
__No doubt in my mind where you belong._

Kim looked into Tommy's eyes as they dance to the lyrics. Zack didn't know that she loved this song and always thought about it with Tommy.

_I'd go hungry; I'd go black and blue  
__I'd go crawlin' down the avenue  
__No, there's nothin' that I wouldn't do  
__To make you feel my love._

Tommy thought back to their ranger days and knew that the lyrics were true. He had risked a lot for her back then and he would have done more if the need had arisen. He loved her that much.

_Though storms are raging on the rollin' sea  
__And on the highway of regrets  
__Though winds of change are throwing wild and free  
__You ain't seen nothin' like me yet  
__I could make you happy, make your dreams come true  
__Nothing that I wouldn't do  
__Go to the ends of the Earth for you  
__To make you feel my love_

Tommy and Kimberly kissed in the center of the dance floor before making their way back to their seats. The rest of the night flowed with conversation and more music. Tommy and Kim finally said goodnight to the guests and made their way back to Kim's home which was now both of theirs. They would start their honeymoon tomorrow before coming back to Angel Grove and their jobs.

XXXX

_3 years later in Beijing_

Tommy looked on as Kaylie stood proudly on the podium awaiting her Gold Medal. She had just won it for the All-Around competition. Hoisting up his daughter, he smiled as the medal was placed around her neck. This was the second Olympic Gold medal for her. She along with Alex, Whitney, Scarlett, Lauren, and Kelly had won the Team Gold medal yesterday which made Kimberly cry. She said that it was like the Magnificent Seven all over again but better because these were her girls. These had been girls that she had coached for three years and she was here to see them win top honors.

"Look at that, Katie, that's the American flag." He said pointing to the ceiling. "And look there's your momma." He said pointing to Kim who was now standing on a podium across from Kaylie. This year, whoever won the All-Around had a choice of having someone sing their national anthem. It was something that the Olympic committee had wanted to explore for a while but it was the first year that they had actually done it.

Since Kaylie had won the All-Around, she had asked Kimberly to do it. Kaylie owed her entire career to Kimberly and this meant more to her than almost anything. Since Kim had given up being the National Team Coach after the birth of her and Tommy's daughter this was perfect for her. She still coached at the gym and was very proud her four girls that had made the Olympic team. It was the first time in history that four girls had come from the same gym but they were Kim's girls which meant that they had worked for that honor.

Shifting Katie, Tommy focused on his wife with the American flag waving behind her as she raised the microphone to her mouth.

XXXX

_Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light  
__What so proudly we hailed at the twilights last gleaming?  
__Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight  
__O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?  
__And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air  
__Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there  
__Oh, say does that Star - Spangled Banner yet wave  
__O'ver the land of the free and the home of the brave_

Kaylie held back tears as the last strands of the National Anthem faded. She had asked Kim to sing it for her because her aunt had been the one to give her this dream. Looking into the crowd, she found her uncle and smiled. These two people had made her dream come true and she could never repaid them for being with her and pushing her towards this day when she wore an Olympic Gold Medal around her neck.

Raising her arm high, she waved to the crowd before stepping down off of the podium and making her way to Tommy and Kim. Hugging them close she whispered her thanks and let the tears flow.

"I love you." Kaylie said as Kim tightened her arms around her niece. Tommy smiled as he hitched Katie on his hip.

"I love you too." Kim said backing away from Kaylie. She took Katie from Tommy as she watched her husband hug his niece.

"Kaylie, you know that this is not the end to your dream." He said as she nodded. "And you know that we will always be here to help you move forward." He said pulling her in his arms. Kim smiled at them and had to fight back tears. She hoped that one day her daughter did everything she could to achieve her dream no matter what it was.

XXXX

Okay so what did everyone think? Please let me know. The songs were To Make You Feel my Love and Star-Spangled Banner. The frist one has been sung by different people including Bob Dylan, Garth Brooks, and most recently Adele. Anyway I hope that everyone enjoyed this story. As for what I'm doing next, I am working on some one-shots and taking a little break before starting a new story. Don't worry it won't be a long break and I will be posting one-shots to tide everyone over until my next story.


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